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THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 

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LIBRARY 


%r  ending 
ntendent. 


THE  WILMER  COLLECTION 

OF  CIVIL  WAR  NOVELS 

PRESENTED  BY 

RICHARD  H.  WILMER,  JR. 


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THE  BLUE  AND  THE  GRAY 

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NAVY    SERIES 

TAKEN   BY   THE   ENEMY 
WITHIN   THE    ENEMY'S    LINES 
ON   THE  BLOCKADE 
STAND   BY   THE   UNION 
FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 
A  VICTORIOUS   UNION 


ARMY    SERIES 

BROTHER  AGAINST   BROTHER 

IN    THE    SADDLE  (In  Press) 
A    LIEUTENANT   AT    EIGHTEEN   (In  Press) 
(Other  volumes  in  preparation) 


Lee  and  Shepard  Publishers  Boston 


FIGHTING  FOR  TH,E  RIGHT 


The  Blue  and  the  Gray  Series 


Fighting  for  the  Right 


OLIVER    OPTIC 


AUTHOR  OF  "  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY  SERIES  "  "  YOUNG  AMERICA  ABROAD  "  "  THB 

GREAT  WESTERN  SERIES  "  "  THE  WOODVILLE  STORIES  "  "  THE  STARRY  FLAG 

series"    "the     BOAT-CLUB    SERIES"     "  THE    ONWARD    AND    UPWARD 

series"  "the  YACHT-CLUB  SERIES  ""  THE    LAKE   SHORE   SERIES  " 

"the  riverdale  stories"   "the   boat-builder  series" 

"  taken  by  the  enemy  ""  within  the  enemy's  lines  " 

"on  the  blockade"  "stand  by  the  union" 

"a  missing  million"  "a  millionaire 

at  sixteen  "  etc.,  etc.,  ,'etc. 


BOSTON 
LEE   AND    SHEPARD    PUBLISHERS 

lO      MILK      STREET 


COPYIIIGIIT,     1892  BY    LlCH   AND  SlIEPARD 


All  Rights  Reserved 


Fighting  fok  the  Right 


TYPE-SrTTI>!0    ANT)    El.WTKOT^TING   I!Y 

C.  J.  Pi:tkrs  &  Son,  Boston 


S.  J.  I'AliliUlLL  5l  Co.,  PKINTEKS,  BOBTON 


MY  GRAND  NEPHEW 

RICHARD    LABAN    ADAMS 

IS  AFFECTIONATELY  DEDICATED 


602662 


PREFACE 


"Fighting  for  the  Right"  is  the  fifth  and 
last  but  one  of  "  Tlie  Blue  and  the  Gray  Series." 
The  character  of  the  operations  in  connection  with 
the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  and  the  incidents  in 
which  the  interest  of  the  young  reader  will  be 
concentrated,  are  somewhat  different  from  most  of 
those  detailed  in  the  preceding  volumes  of  the 
series,  though  they  all  have  the  same  patriotic 
tendency,  and  are  carried  out  with  the  same  devo- 
tion to  the  welfare  of  the  nation  as  those  which 
deal  almost  solely  in  deeds  of  arms. 

Although  the  soldiers  and  sailors  of  the  army 
and  navy  of  the  Union  won  all  the  honors  gained 
in  the  field  of  battle  or  on  the  decks  of  the  na- 
tional ships,  and  deserved  all  the  laurels  they 
gathered  by  their  skill  and  bravery  in  the  try- 
ing days  when  the  republic  was  in  peril,  they  were 
not  the  only  actors  in  the  greatest  strife  of  the 
nineteenth  century.     Not  all   the  labor  of  "sav- 

7 


»  PREFACE 

ing  the  Union  "  was  done  in  the  trenches,  on  the 
march,  on  the  gun  deck  of  a  man-of-war,  or  in 
other  military  and  naval  operations,  though  with- 
out these  the  efforts  of  all  others  would  have  been 
in  vain.  Thousands  of  men  and  women  who 
never  "  smelled  gunpowder,"  who  never  heard  the 
booming  cannon,  or  the  rattling  musketry,  who 
never  witnessed  a  battle  on  sea  or  land,  but  who 
kept  their  minds  and  hearts  in  touch  with  the 
holy  cause,  labored  diligently  and  faithfully  to 
support  and  sustain  the  soldiers  and  sailors  at  the 
front. 

If  all  those  who  fought  no  battles  are  not  hon- 
ored like  the  leaders  and  commanders  in  the  loyal 
cause,  if  they  wear  no  laurels  on  their  brows,  if 
no  monuments  are  erected  to  transmit  their  mem- 
ory to  posterity,  if  their  names  and  deeds  are  not 
recorded  in  the  Valhalla  of  the  redeemed  nation, 
they  ought  not  to  be  disregarded  and  ignored.  It 
was  not  on  the  field  of  strife  alone  in  tlie  South 
that  the  battle  was  fought  and  won.  The  army 
and  the  navy  needed  a  moral,  as  well  as  a  material 
support,  which  was  cheerfully  rendered  by  the 
great  army  of  the  people  who  never  buckled  on  a 
sword,  or  shouldered  a  musket.     Their  work  can 


PREFACE  9 

not  be  summed  up  in  deeds,  for  there  was  little  or 
nothing  that  was  brilliant  and  dazzling  in  their 
career.  They  need  no  monuments  ;  but  their  work 
was  necessary  to  the  final  and  glorious  result  of 
the  most  terrible  war  of  modern  times. 

No  apology  is  necessary  for  placing  the  hero  of 
the  story  and  his  skilful  associate  in  a  position  at 
a  distance  from  the  actual  field  of  battle.  They 
were  working  for  the  salvation  of  the  Union  as 
effectively  as  they  coulcj^  have  done  in  the  din  of 
the  strife.  They  were  "  Fighting  for  the  Right," 
as  they  understood  it,  though  it  is  not  treason  to 
say,  thirty  years  later,  that  the  people  of  the  South 
were  as  sincere  as  those  of  the  North ;  and  they 
could  hardly  have  fought  and  suffered  to  the  ex- 
tent they  did  if  it  had  been  otherwise. 

The  incidents  of  the  volume  are  more  various 
than  in  the  preceding  stories,  which  were  so  largely 
a  repetition  of  battle  scenes ;  but  the  hero  is  still 
as  earnest  as  ever  in  the  cause  he  loves.  He  at- 
tains a  high  position  without  any  ambition  to  win 
it ;  for,  like  millions  of  others  who  gave  the  best 
.years  of  their  lives  to  sustain  the  Union,  who  suf- 
fered the  most  terrible  hardships  and  privations,  so 
many  hundreds  of  thousands  giving  their  lives  to 


10  PREFACE 

their  country,  Christy  fought  and  labored  for  the 
cause,  and  not  from  any  personal  ambition.  It  is 
the  young  man's  high  character,  his  devotion  to 
duty,  rather  than  the  incidents  and  adventures  in 
which  he  is  engaged,  that  render  him  worthy  of 
respect,  and  deserving  of  the  honors  that  were  be- 
stowed upon  him.  The  younger  participants  in 
the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  Christy  Passford  among 
the  number,  are  beginning  to  be  grizzled  with  the 
snows  of  fifty  winters ;  but  they  are  still  rejoicing 
in  "  A  Victorious  Union." 

William  T.  Adams. 

DoECHESTER,  April  18,  1892. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

CHAPTER   I. 
A  Conference  at  Bonny  dale 15 


CHAPTER   II.               , 
A  Complicated  Case 26 

CHAPTER   III. 
The  Departure  of  the  Chateadgat   ....      37 

CHAPTER   IV. 
Monsieur  Gilfleur  explains 48 

CHAPTER   V. 
An  Abundance  of  Evidence 59 

CHAPTER   VI. 
The  Boarding  of  the  Ionian        .....      70 

CHAPTER   VII. 
A  Bold  Proposition        .......       81 

CHAPTER   VIII. 
A  Notable  Expedition 92 

CHAPTER   IX. 

The  Frenchman  in  Bermuda lOiS 

11 


12  CONTENTS 

PAGIi 

CHAPTER   X.  ^ 

Important  Information  obtained  ....     114 

CHAPTER   XI. 
An  Unexpected  Rencontre 125 

CHAPTER   XII. 
An  Impracticable  Scheme     .        .        .        .        .        .     136 

CHAPTER   XIII. 
At  the  End  of  the  Chase 147 

CHAPTER   XIV. 
■*      An  East  Victory 158 

CHAPTER  XV. 
The  Gentleman  with  a  Grizzly  Beard      .        .         .     1G9 

CHAPTER   XVI. 
Among  the  Bahamas 180 

CHAPTER   XVII. 
The  Landing  at  New  Providence         ....     191 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 
An  Affray  in  Nassau 202 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
An  Old  Acquaintance 213 

CHAPTER    XX. 
A  Band  of  Rdffians 224 

CHAPTER   XXI. 
A  Question  of  NbutraliIy 235 


CONTENTS  13 

PAGE 

CPIAPTER    XXII. 
On  Board  of  the  Snapper 240 

CHAPTER   XXIII. 
The  Cuateaugay  in  the   Distance        ....     257 

CHAPTER   XXIV. 
TuE  Tables  turned        .......     268 

CHAPTER   XXV. 
Captain  Flanger  in  Irons 279 

CHAPTER   XXVI. 
A  Visit  to  Tampa  Bay 290 

CHAPTER   XXVII. 
Among  the  Keys  of  Tampa  ......     302 

CHAPTER   XXVIII. 
The  Sl'ukender  of  the  Reindeer         ....     313 

CHAPTER   XXIX. 
Bringing  out  the  Prize 324 

CHAPTER   XXX. 
A  Very  Important  Service  ......     335 

CHAPTER   XXXI. 
An  Undesired  Promotion 346 


FIGHTING  FOR  THE  RIGHT 


CHAPTER   I 

A  CONFERENCE   AT   BONNYDALE 

"  Well,  Christy,  how  do  you  feel  this  morn- 
ing? "  asked  Captain  Passford,  one  bright  morn- 
ing in  April,  at  Bonnydale  on  the  Hudson,  the 
residence  of  the  former  owner  of  the  Bellevite, 
which  he  had  presented  to  the  government. 

"  Quite  well,  father ;  I  think  I  never  felt  any 
better  in  all  my  life,"  replied  Lieutenant  Pass- 
ford,  of  the  United  States  Navy,  recently  com- 
mander of  the  little  gunboat  Bronx,  on  board  of 
which  he  had  been  severely  wounded  in  an  action 
Avith  a  Confederate  fort  in  Louisiana. 

"  Do  you  feel  any  soreness  at  the  wound  in  your 
arm  ? "  inquired  the  devoted  parent  with  some 
anxiety. 

"  Not  a  particle,  father." 
15 


16  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

"  Or  at  the  one  in  your  tliigli?  " 

"Not  the  slightest  bit  of  soreness^^  In  fact,  I 
have  been  ready  to  return  to  my  duty  at  any  time 
within  tlie  last  month,"  replied  Christy  very  cheer- 
fully. "  It  would  be  a  shame  for  me  to  loiter 
around  home  any  longer,  when  I  am  as  able  to 
plank  the  deck  as  I  ever  was.  In  truth,  I  think 
I  am  better  and  stronger  than  ever  before,  for  I 
have  had  a  long  rest." 

"  Your  vacation  has  been  none  too  long,  for  you 
were  considerably  run  down,  the  doctor  said,  in 
addition  to  your  two  wounds,"  added  Captain 
Passford,  senior;  for  the  young  man  had  held  a 
command,  and  was  entitled  to  the  same  honorary 
title  as  his  father. 

"These  doctors  sometimes  make  you  think  you 
are  sicker  than  you  really  are,"  said  Christy  with 
a  laugh. 

"  But  your  doctor  did  not  do  so,  for  your  mother 
and  I  both  thought  you  were  rather  run  out  by 
your  labors  in  the  Gulf." 

"  If  I  was,  I  am  all  right  now.  Do  I  look  like  a 
sick  one  ?  I  weigh  more  than  I  ever  did  before  in 
my  life." 

"  Your  mother  has  taken  excellent  care  of  you. 


A   CONFERENCE   AT   BONN  YD  ALE  17 

and  you  certainly  look  larger  and  stronger  than 
when  you  went  to  sea  in  the  Bronx." 

"  But  I  am  very  tired  of  this  inactive  life.  I 
have  been  assigned  to  the  Bellevite  as  second 
lieutenant,  a  position  I  prefer  to  a  command,  for 
the  reasons  I  have  several  times  given  you,  father." 

"  I  am  certainly  very  glad  to  have  you  returned 
to  the  Bellevite,  though  the  honors  will  be  easier 
with  you  than  they  were  when  you  were  the  com- 
mander of.  the  Bronx." 

^'  But  I  shall  escape  the  responsibility  of  the 
command,  and  avoid  being  pointed  at  as  one  who 
commands  by  official  influence,"  said  Christy,  rather 
warmly ;  for  he  felt  that  he  had  done  his  duty 
with  the  utmost  fidelity,  and  it  was  not  pleasant 
to  have  his  hard-earned  honors  discounted  by 
fling's  at  his  father's  influence  with  the  government. 

"  It  is  impossible  to  escape  the  sneers  of  the  dis- 
contented, and  there  are  always  plenty  of  such  in 
the  navy  and  the  army.  But,  Christy,  you  wrong 
yourself  in  taking  any  notice  of  such  flings,  for 
they  have  never  been  thrown  directly  at  you,  if  at 
all.  You  are  over-sensitive,  and  you  have  not 
correctly  interpreted  what  your  superiors  have 
said  to  you,"  said  Captain  Passford  seriously. 


18  FIGHTING   FOR    THE   EIGHT 

His  father  recalled  some  of  the  conversations 
between  the  young  officer  and  Captain  Blowitt 
and  others,  reported  to  him  before.  He  insisted 
that  the  remarks  of  his  superiors  were  highly 
complimentary  to  him,  and  that  he  had  no  right  to 
take  offence  at  them. 

"  I  dare  say  I  am  entirely  wrong,  father ;  but  it 
will  do  me  no  harm  to  serve  in  a  subordinate 
capacity,"  added  Christy. 

"  I  agree  with  you  here  ;  but  I  must  tell  you 
again,  as  I  Ivave  half  a  dozen  times  before,  that  I 
never  asked  a  position  or  promotion  for  you  at  the 
Navy  Department.  You  liave  won  jouv  honors  and 
your  advancement  yourself,"  continued  the  father. 

"  Well,  it  wa-s  all  the  same,  father ;  you  have 
used  your  tim-e  and  your  money  very  freely  in  the 
service  of  the  government,  as  you  could  not  help 
doing.  I  know  that  I  did  my  duty,  and  the  depart- 
ment promoted  me  because  I  was  your  son,"  said 
Christy,  laughing. 

"  Not  at  all,  my  son  ;  you  deserved  your  pro- 
motion every  time,  and  if  you  had  been  the  son  of 
a  wood-chopper  in  the  State  of  Maine,  you  would 
have  been  promoted  just  the  same,"  argued  Cap- 
tain Passford. 


A   CONFERENCE   AT   BONNYDALE  19 

"  Perhaps  I  should,"  answered  the  young  officer 
rather  doubtfully. 

"  After  what  you  did  in  your  last  cruise  with 
the  Bronx,  a  larger  and  finer  vessel  would  have 
been  given  to  you  in  recognition  of  the  brilliant 
service  you  had  rendered,"  added  the  father.  "  I 
prevented  this  from  being  done  simply  because 
you  wished  to  take  the  position  of  second  lieu- 
tenant on  board  of  the  Bellevite." 

"  Then  I  thank  you  for  it,  father,"  replied  Christy 
heartily. 

"But  the  department  thinks  it  has  lost  an  able 
commander,"  continued  the  captain  with  a  smile. 

"  I  am  willing  to  let  the  department  think  so, 
father.  All  I  really  ask  of  the  officials  now  is  to 
send  me  back  to  tlie  Gulf,  and  to  the  Beilevite.  I 
believe  you  said  that  I  was  to  go  as  a  passenger  in 
the  Chateaugay." 

"  I  did  ;  and  she  has  been  ready  for  over  a  week." 

"  Why  don't  she  go,  then  ?  "  asked  Christy  im- 
2)atiently. 

"  On  her  way  to  the  Gulf  she  is  to  engage  in 
some  special  service,"  replied  Captain  Passford,  as 
he  took  some  letters  from  his  pocket. 

"Letters!"    exclaimed   the   young    lieutenant, 


20  FiGPlTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

Liugliing  as  he  recalled  some  such  missives  on  two 
former  occasions.  "Do  you  still  keep  your  three 
agents  in  the  island  of  Great  Britain?" 

"  I  don't  keep  them,  for  they  are  now  in  the 
employ  of  the  government,  though  they  still  report 
to  me,  and  we  use  the  system  adopted  some  two 
years  ago." 

"  Wliat  is  it  this  time,  father?"  asked  Christy, 
his  curiosit}^  as  well  as  his  patriotism  excited  by 
this  time  at  the  prospect  of  capturing  a  Con- 
federate man-of-war,  or  even  a  blockade-runner. 

"  There  are  traitors  in  and  about  the  city  of 
New  York,"  answered  Captain  Passford,  as  he 
returned  the  letters  to  his  pocket.  "  We  had  a 
rebel  in  the  house  here  at  one  time,  you  remember, 
and  it  is  not  quite  prudent  just  now  to  explain  the 
contents  of  the  letters." 

"  All  right,  father ;  but  I  suppose  you  will  read 
them  to  me  before  I  sail  for  the  South." 

"I  will  talk  to  you  about  it  another  time," 
addfed  the  captain,  as  a  knock  was  heard  at  the 
door.     "  Come  in  !  " 

It  was  the  man-servant  of  the  house,  and  he 
brought  in  a  tray  on  whicli  there  was  a  card,  which 
Captain  Passford  took. 


A  CONFERENCE  AT  BONNYDALE       21 

"  Captain  Wilford  Cliantor,"  the  captain  read 
from  the  card.  "  Show  him  in,  Gates.  Lieutenant 
Cliantor  is  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Clia- 
teaugay,  Christy,  in  which  yon  take  passage  to  the 
Gulf ;  but  she  will  not  go  there  directly." 

"  Captain  Chantor,"  said  Gates,  as  he  opened 
the  door  for  the  visitor. 

"  I  am  happy  to  see  you.  Captain  Chantor, 
though  I  have  not  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting 
you  before,"  said  the  captain,  as  he  rose  from  his 
chair,  and  bowed  to  the  gentleman,  who  was  in 
the  uniform  of  a  lieutenant. 

"I  presume  I  have  the  honor  to  address  Captain 
Horatio  Passford,"  said  the  visitor,  as  he  took  a 
letter  from  his  pocket,  bowing  very  respectfully 
at  the  same  time,  and  delivering  the  letter. 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  meet  you,  Captain  Chantor," 
continued  Captain  Passford,  taking  the  hand  of  the 
visitor.  "  Allow  me  to  introduce  to  you  my  son. 
Lieutenant  Passford,  who  will  be  a  passenger  on 
your  ship  to  the  Gulf." 

"  I  am  very  happy  to  make  your  acquaintance, 
Mr.  Passford,  for  I  need  hardly  say  that  I  have 
heard  a  great  deal  about  you  before,  and  this  is  a 
very  unexpected  pleasure,"  replied  Captain  Chantor. 


22  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

"  Thank  you,  Ca2'>taiii,  and  I  am  equally  happy 
to  meet  you,  as  I  am  to  be  a  passenger  on  your 
ship,"  added  Cliristy,  as  they  shook  hands  very 
cordially. 

"I  had  three  other  passengers  on  board,  but 
they  have  been  transferred  to  the  store-ship,  which 
sails  to-day,  and  you  will  be  my  only  passenger." 

"  At  my  suggestion,"  said  Captain  Passford 
smiling,  doubtless  at  the  puzzled  expression  of  the 
captain  of  the  Chateaugay  at  his  statement. 

"  I  am  to  attend  to  some  special  service  on  my 
voyage  to  the  Gulf,  and  I  am  ordered  to  take  my 
instructions  from  you,"  added  Captain  Chantor. 

"  Precisely  so ;  but  I  hold  no  official  position, 
and  your  orders  will  be  put  in  proper  form  before 
you  sail,"  replied  Christy's  father.  "  Now,  if  you 
will  be  patient  for  a  little  while,  I  will  explain  the 
nature  of  the  special  service." 

"  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  understand  the  subject, 
and  I  am  confident  my  patience  will  hold  out  to 
any  extent  you  may  require." 

The  conversation  so  far  had  taken  place  in  the 
library.  The  owner  of  Bonnydale  rose  from  his 
arm-chair,  opened  the  door  into  the  hall,  and  looked 
about  him  very  cautiously.     Then  he  closed  a  win- 


A  CONFERENCE  AT  BONNYDALE       23 

dow  wliich  the  unusual  warmth  of  an  April  day- 
had  rendered  it  necessary  to  open.  He  conducted 
his  companions  to  the  part  of  the  room  farthest 
from  the  door,  and  seated  them  on  a  sofa,  while 
he  placed  his  arm-ohair  in  front  of  them.  Even 
Christy  thought  his  father  was  taking  extraor- 
dinary precautions,  and  the  visitor  could  make 
nothing  of  it. 

"  As  I  have  had  occasion  to  remark  before  to-day, 
there  are  traitors  in  and  about  New  York,"  the 
captain  began. 

"If  you  have  any  private  business  with  Captain 
Chantor,  father,  I  am  perfectly  willing  to  retire," 
suggested  Christy. 

"  No ;  I  wish  you  to  understand  this  special  ser- 
vice, for  ycru  may  be  called  upon  to  take  a  hand  in 
it,"  replied  Captain  Passford;  and  the  son  seated 
himself  again.  "  There  are  traitors  in  and  about 
New  York,  I  repeat.  I  think  we  need  not  greatly 
wonder  that  some  of  the  English  people  per- 
sist in  attempting  to  run  the  blockade  at  the 
South,  when  some  of  our  own  citizens  are  indi- 
rectly concerned  in  the  same  occupation." 

This  seemed  to  the  captain  of  the  Chateaugay 
an  astounding  statement,  and  not  less  so  to  Clu-isty, 


24  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

and  neither  of  tlieni  could  make  an3dliing  of  it; 
but  they  wei'e  silent,  concluding  tliat  the  special 
service  related  to  this  matter. 

"  In  what  I  am  about  to  say  to  you,  Captain 
Chantor,  I  understand  that  I  am  talking  to  an 
officer  of  the  utmost  discretion,"  continued  Cap- 
tain Passford,  "  and  not  a  word  of  it  must  be 
repeated  to  any  person  on  board  of  the  Chateau- 
gay,  and  certainly  not  to  any  other  person  what- 
ever." 

"  I  understand  you  perfectly,  sir,"  replied  the 
officer.     "  My  lips  shall  be  sealed  to  all." 

"  I  wish  to  say  that  the  command  of  the  Cha- 
teaugay  would  have  been  offered  to  my  son,  but  I 
objected  for  the  reason  that  he  prefers  not  to  have 
a  command  at  present,"  said  the  captain. 

"  That  makes  it  very  fortunate  for  me." 

"  Very  true,  though  the  change  was  not  made 
for  your  sake.  You  were  selected  for  this  com- 
mand as  much  on  account  of  your  discretion  as 
for  your  skill  and  bravery  as  an  officer." 

"  I  consider  myself  very  highly  complimented 
by  the  selection." 

"  Now  to  the  point :  I  have  information  that  a 
fast  steamer,  intended  to  carry  eight  guns,  called 


A  CONFE HENCE  AT  BOXNYDALE       ZD 

the  Oviclio,  sailed  from  the  other  side  of  the  ocean 
some  time  since,  and  she  is  to  be  a  vessel  in  the 
Confederate  navy.  Her  first  port  will  be  Nassau, 
New  Providence." 

"  Does  that  prove  that  any  Americans  are  trai- 
tors in  and  about  New  York,  father  ?  "  asked  Christy. 

"  She  is  to  run  the  blockade  with  a  cargo  con- 
sisting in  part  of  American  goods." 

Captain  Passford  took  a  file  of  papers  from  his 
pocket. 


26 


FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 


CHAPTER   II 

A   COMPLICATED   CASE 

Captain  Passfokd  looked  over  his  papers  for  a 
moment;  but  it  was  soon  evident  from  his  man- 
ner that  he  had  secrets  wliich  he  would  not  in- 
trust even  to  his  son,  unless  it  was  necessary  to  do 
so.  He  seemed  to  be  armed  with  documentary 
evidence  upon  which  to  act,  but  he  did  not  read 
any  of  his  papers,  and  soon  returned  them  to  his 
pocket. 

"  The  American  goods  of  which  I  speak  are  cer- 
tain pieces  of  machinery  to  be  used  in  the  manu- 
facture of  arms,"  continued  the  captain.  "  They 
cannot  be  obtained  in  England,  and  the  traitors 
have  decided  to  send  them  direct,  rather  than 
across  the  ocean  in  the  first  instance.  These  will 
form  the  principal  and  most  important  part  of  the 
cargo  of  a  steamer  now  loaded,  though  she  will 
carry  other  goods,  such  as  the  enemy  need  most  at 
the  present  time." 


A   COMPLICATED   CASE  27 

"  I  did  not  suppose  any  Americans  were  wicked 
enough  to  engage  in  such  an  enterprise  for  the 
sake  of  making  money,"  said  Christy  indignantly. 

"  The  steamer  of  which  you  speak  is  already 
loaded,  is  she  ?  "  asked  Captain  Chantor. 

"  She  is ;  and  now  I  wish  both  of  you  to  go  with 
me,  and  I  will  point  out  the  vessel  to  you,  and  you 
must  mark  her  so  well  that  you  can  identify  her 
when  occasion  requires." 

The  trio  left  the  house  and  took  the  train 
together.  They  went  to  New  York,  and  in  an  out- 
of-the-way  locality  they  went  down  to  a  wharf; 
but  there  was  no  steamer  or  vessel  of  any  kind 
there,  and  the  pier  was  falling  to  pieces  from 
decay.  Captain  Passford  stopped  short,  and  seemed 
to  be  confounded  when  he  found  the  dock  was 
not  occupied. 

"I  am  afraid,  we  are  too  late,  and  that  the 
steamer  has  sailed  on  her  mission  of  destruction," 
said  he,  almost  overcome  by  the  discovery.  "  She 
was  here  last  night,  and  was  watched  till  this 
morning.  She  has  already  cleared,  bound  to  Wil- 
mington, Delaware,  with  a  cargo  of  old  iron." 

"•  Do  you  know  her  name.  Captain  Passford  ? " 
asked  the  commander  of  the  Chateaugay. 


28  FIGnTING    FOR   THE    RIGHT 

"  She  was  a  screw  steamer  of  about  six  hun- 
dred tons,  and  was  called  the  Ionian,  but  she  is 
American." 

It  was  useless  to  remain  there  any  longer,  for 
the  steamer  certainly  was  not  there.  Captain 
Passford  hailed  a  passing  tug-boat,  and  they  were 
taken  on  board.  The  master  of  the.  boat  was 
instructed  to  steam  down  the  East  River,  and  the 
party  examined  every  steamer  at  anchor  or  under 
way.  The  tug  had  nearly  reached  the  Piattery 
before  the  leader  of  the  trio  saw  any  vessel  that 
looked  like  the  Ionian.  The  tug  went  around  this 
craft,  for  she  resembled  the  one  which  had  been  in 
the  dock,  and  the  name  indicated  was  found  on  her 
stern. 

"  I  breathe  easier,  for  I  was  afraid  she  had  criven 
us  the  slip,"  said  Captain  Passford.  "  She  is  evi- 
dently all  ready  to  sail." 

"  The  Cliateaugay  is  in  commission,  and  ready  to 
sail  at  a  moment's  notice,"  added  her  commander. 

"  But  you  are  not  ready  to  leave  at  once,  Christy," 
suggested  Captain  Passford,  with  some  anxiety  in 
his  expression. 

"  Yes,  I  am,  father ;  I  put  my  valises  on  board 
yesterday,  and  when  mother  and  Florry  went  down 


A   COMPLICATED   CASE  29 

to  Mr.  Pembroke's  I  bade  them  both  goocl-by,  for 
after  I  have  waited  so  long  for  my  passage,  I  felt 
that  the  call  would  come  in  a  hurry,"  replied 
Christy.  "  I  am  all  ready  to  go  on  board  of  the 
Chateaugay  at  this  moment." 

"  And  so  am  I,"  added  Captain  Chantor. 

"But  I -am  not  ready  witli  your  orders  in  fidl, 
though  they  are  duly  signed,"  said  Captain  Pass- 
ford.  "  I  will  put  you  on  shore  at  the  foot  of 
Atlantic  Avenue  in  Brooklyn,  Captain  Chantor, 
and  you  will  hasten  to  your  ship,  get  up  steam, 
and  move  down  to  this  vicinity.  I  will  put  my 
son  on  board  as  soon  as  I  can  have  your  papers 
completed." 

The  order  necessary  to  carry  out  this  procedure 
was  given  to  the  captain  of  the  tug,  and  the  com- 
mander of  the  Chateaugay  was  landed  at  the  place 
indicated.  The  tug  started  for  the  other  side  of 
the  river. 

"It  seems  to  me  this  is  very  strange  business, 
father,"  said  Christy,  as  he  and  his  father  seated 
themselves  at  the  stern  of  the  boat. 

"  Traitors  do  not  work  in  the  daylight,  my  son, 
as  you  have  learned  before  this  time,"  replied 
Captain  Passford. 


30  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

"  If  you  know  the  men  who  are  engaged  in  sup- 
plying the  enemy  with  macliinery,  why  do  you  not 
have  them  arrested  and  put  in  Fort  Lafayette?" 
aoked  Chi'isty,  in  a  very  low  tone,  after  he  had 
assured  himself  that  no  person  Avas  within  possible 
hearing  distance.  ''  It  looks  as  though  the  case 
might  be  settled  here,  without  going  to  sea  to 
do  it." 

"  We  have  not  sufficient  evidence  to  convict 
them ;  and  to  make  arrests  Avithout  the  means  of 
conviction  would  be  Avorse  than  doinof  nothinof. 
The  Ionian  has  cleared  for  Wilmington  Avith  a 
cargo  of  old  iron.  Everything  looks  regular  in  re- 
gard to  her,  and  I  have  no  doubt  there  is  some 
party  who  would  claim  the  castings  if  occasion  re- 
quired. The  first  thing  to  be  ascertained  is  Avhether 
or  not  the  steamer  goes  to  Wilmington." 

"  Then  we  can  make  short  Avoik  of  her." 

"  My  information  in  regard  to  this  treason  comes 
from  Warnock  —  you  knoAV  AA^ho  he  is?" 

"  Captain  Barnes,"  replied  Christy  promptly,  for 
the  names  of  all  the  agents  of  his  father  in  England 
and  Scotland  had  been  giA'^en  to  him  on  a  former 
occasion,  when  the  information  received  from  one 
of  the  three  had  resulted  in  the  capture  of  the 
Scotian  and  the  Arran. 


A   COMPLICATED   CASE  31 

"  Barnes  is  a  very  shrewd  man.  He  does  not 
inform  me  yet  in  what  manner  he  obtained  the  in- 
formation that  the  Ovidio  was  to  carry  this  ma- 
chinery from  Nassau  into  a  rebel  port ;  but  I  shall 
get  it  later  in  a  letter.  He  gave  me  the  name  of 
the  party  who  was  to  furnish  the  machinery;  and 
one  of  his  agents  obtained  this  from  the  direction 
of  a  letter  to  New  York.  I  placed  four  skilful 
detectives  around  this  man,  who  stands  well  in  the 
community.  They  have  worked  the  case  admir- 
ably, and  spotted  the  Ionian.  I  have  aided  them 
in  all  possible  ways ;  but  the  evidence  is  not  com- 
j)lete.  H  this  steamer  proceeds  beyond  Wilming- 
ton, Captain  Chantor  will  be  instructed  to  capture 
her  and  send  her  back  to  New  York." 

"Then  this  business  will  soon  be  settled,"  added 
Christy. 

"  Perliaps  not ;  the  government  official,  with  au- 
thority to  act,  is  in  New  York.  I  shall  see  him  at 
once.  I  have  no  doubt  the  detectives  have  already 
reported  that  the  Ionian  has  moved  down  the 
liver,"  said  Captain  Passford,  as  the  tug  came  up 
to  a  pier,  where  father  and  son  landed. 

They  went  to  an  office  in  Battery  Place,  where 
the  captain  was  informed  that  a  special  messenger 


32  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

had  been  sent  to  Bonnydale  to  acquaint  him  with 
the  fact  that  the  Ionian  had  moved  down  the  river. 
Files  of  documents,  containing  reports  of  detectives 
and  other  papers,  were  examined  and  compared, 
and  then  the  government  official  proceeded  to  fin- 
ish the  filling  out  of  Captain  Chantor's  orders. 
The  paper  was  given  to  Christy,  with  an  order  to 
deliver  it  to  the  commander  of  the  Chateaugay. 
The  tug  had  been  detained  for  them,  and  they 
hastened  on  board  of  her. 

They  found  the  suspected  steamer  at  her  moor- 
ings still ;  but  it  was  evident  that  she  was  prepar- 
ing;' to  weio'h  her  anchor.  The  tutx  continued  on 
her  course  towards  the  Navy  Yard,  and  tlie  Clia- 
teaugay  was  discovered  in  the  berth  she  had  occu- 
pied for  the  last  two  weeks.  Everything  looked 
lively  on  board  of  her,  as  though  she  were  getting 
ready  to  heave  up  lier  anchor. 

"  Christy,  you  will  find  on  board  of  your  steamer 
a  man  by  the  name  of  Gildeur,"  said  Captain  Pass- 
ford,  as  the  tug  approached  the  man-of-war. 

"  That  sounds  like  a  French  name,"  inter^^osed 
Christy. 

"It  is  a  French  name,  and  the  owner  of  it  is  a 
Frenchman  who  has  been  a  detective  in  Paris.     He 


A   COMPLICATED   CASE  33 

lias  accomplished  more  in  this  matter  than  all  the 
others  put  together,  and  he  will  go  with  you,  for 
you  will  find  in  the  commander's  instructions  that 
you  have  more  than  one  thing  to  do  on  your  way 
to  the  Gulf.     I  gave  him  a  letter  to  you." 

"I  shall  be  glad  to  see  him." 

"  Now,  my  son,  we  must  part,  for  I  have  business 
on  shore,  and  you  may  have  to  sail  at  any  moment," 
said  Captain  Passford,  as  he  took  the  two  hands 
of  his  son.  "  I  have  no  advice  to  give  you  except 
to  be  prudent,  and  on  this  duty  to  be  especially 
discreet.     That's  all  —  good-by." 

They  parted,  after  wringing  each  other's  hands, 
as  they  had  parted  several  times  before.  They 
might  never  meet  again  in  this  world,  but  both  of 
them  subdued  their  emotion,  for  they  were  obeying 
the  high  and  solemn  call  of  dutj^ ;  both  of  them 
were  fighting  for  the  right,  and  the  civilian  as  well 
as  the  naval  officer  felt  that  it  was  his  duty  to  lay 
down  his  life  for  his  suffering  country.  Christy 
mounted  the  gangway,  and  was  received  hj  Captain 
Chantor  on  the  quarter-deck.  He  had  been  on 
board  before,  and  had  taken  possession  of  his  state- 
room. 

The  passenger  took  from  his  pocket  the  files  of 


34  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

papers  given  him  by  the  official  on  shore  ;  and  then 
he  noticed  for  the  first  time  an  envelope  addressed 
to  him.  The  commander  retired  to  his  cabin  to 
read  his  instructions,  and  Christy  went  to  his  state- 
room in  the  ward  room  to  open  the  envelope  directed 
to  him.  As  soon  as  he  broke  the  seal  he  realized 
that  his  father  had  done  a  great  deal  of  writing, 
and  he  had  no  doubt  the  paper  contained  full  in- 
structions for  him,  as  well  as  a  history  of  the  diffi- 
cult case  in  which  he  was  to  take  a  part.  A  paper 
signed  by  the  official  informed  him  that  he  was 
expected  to  occuj)y  a  sort  of  advisory  position  near 
the  commander  of  the  Chateaugay,  though  of  course 
he  was  in  no  manner  to  control  him  in  regard  to 
the  management  of  the  ship. 

Cliristy  read  his  father's  letter  tln^ough.  The 
government  was  exceedingly  anxious  to  obtain 
accurate  information  in  regard  to  the  state  of  affairs 
at  Nassau,  that  hot-bed  for  blockade-runners.  The 
Chateaugay  was  to  look  out  for  the  Ovidio,  whose 
ultimate  destination  was  Mobile,  where  she  was  to 
convey  the  gun-making  macliinery,  and  such  other 
merchandise  as  the  traitorous  merchant  of  New 
York  wished  to  send  into  the  Confederacy.  The 
name  of  this  man  was  given  to  him,  and  it  was 


A   COMPLICATED   CASE  35 

believed  that  papers  signed  by  him  would  be  found 
on  board  of  the  Ionian. 

A  knock  at  the  door  of  his  room  disturbed  his 
examination  of  the  documents,  and  he  found  the 
commander  of  the  steamer  there.  After  looking 
about  the  ward  room,  and  into  the  adjoining  state- 
rooms, he  came  in  without  ceremony. 

"  Here  is  my  hand,  Mr.  Passford,"  said  he,  suit- 
ing the  action  to  the  word.  "  I  find  after  reading 
my  instructions  that  I  am  expected  to  consult  with 
you,  and  as  I  have  the  very  highest  respect  and 
regard  for  you  after  the  brilliant  record  you  have 
made  "  — 

"  Don't  you  believe  that  I  won  my  promotion 
to  my  present  rank  through  the  influence  of  my 
father  ?  "  demanded  Christy,  laughing  pleasantly, 
as  he  took  the  offered  hand  and  warmly  pressed  it. 

"  If  you  did,  your  father  did  the  very  best  thing 
in  the  world  for  his  countr}^,  and  has  given  it  one 
of  the  bravest  and  best  officers  in  the  service," 
replied  Captain  Chantor,  still  wringing  the  hand 
of  his  passenger.  "  But  I  don't  believe  anything 
of  the  kind ;  and  no  officer  who  knows  you,  even 
if  he  is  thirsting  for  promotion,  believes  it.  I 
have   heard   a   great  many  of    higher  rank   than 


36  FIGHTING    FOE,   THE   RIGHT 

either  of  us  speak  of  you,  and  if  you  had  been 
present  your  ears  would  have  tingled ;  but  I 
never  heard  a  single  officer  of  any  rank  suggest 
that  you  owed  your  rapid  advancement  to  any- 
thing but  your  professional  skill  and  your  un- 
flinching bravery,  as  well  as  to  your  absolute  and 
hearty  devotion  to  jonr  country.  I  rank  you  in 
date,  Mr.  Passford,  but  I  would  give  a  great  deal 
to  have  your  record  written  against  my  name." 

"  Your  praise  is  exceedingly  profuse,  Captain 
Chantor,  but  I  must  believe  you  are  honest,  how- 
ever unworthy  I  may  be  of  your  unstinted  lauda- 
tion," said  Christy  with  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  floor, 
and  blushing  like  a  school-girl. 

"  I  hope  and  believe  there  will  be  no  discount 
on  our  fellowship.  A  man  came  on  board  this 
afternoon,  and  gives  me  a  letter  from  the  proper 
authority,  referring  me  to  you  in  regard  to  his 
mission." 

Christy  decided  to  see  this  person  at  once. 


THE  DEPARTURE   OF   THE   CHATEAUGAY       37 


CHAPTER   III 

THE  DEPARTURE  OP  THE  CHATEAUGAY 

The  commander  told  Christy  that  he  would 
probably  find  the  person  who  had  brought  the 
letter  to  him  in  the  waist,  for  he  knew  nothing  of 
his  quality,  position,  or  anything  else  about  him, 
and  he  did  not  know  where  to  berth  him,  though 
there  was  room  enough  in  the  ward  room  or  the 
steerage.  He  was  dressed  like  a  gentleman,  and 
brought  two  very  handsome  valises  on  board  with 
him. 

"  For  all  that,  I  did  not  know  but  that  he  might 
be  a  French  cook,  a  steward,  or  something  of  that 
sort,"  added  Captain  Chantor,  laughing. 

"  He  is  a  man  who  is  said  to  be  a  Napoleon  in 
his  profession;  but  I  will  tell  you  all  about  him 
after  we  get  under  way,  for  I  am  in  a  hurry  to 
speak  with  him,"  replied  Christy. 

"  He  is  evidently  a  Frenchman,"  continued  the 
captain. 


38  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

"  He  is ;  but  I  never  saw  him  in  my  life,  and 
know  notliing  about  him  except  what  I  have 
learned  from  a  long  letter  my  father  gave  me 
when  I  was  coming  on  board." 

"  I  have  been  told  that  you  speak  French  like  a 
native  of  Paris,  Mr.  Passford,"  suggested  the  com- 
mander. 

"Not  so  bad  as  that;  I  have  studied  the  lan- 
guage a  great  deal  under  competent  instructors 
from  Paris,  but  I  am  not  so  proficient  as  you  may 
think,  though  I  can  make  my  way  with  those  who 
speak  it,"  replied  the  passenger,  as  he  moved 
towards  the  door  of  the  stateroom. 

"And  I  can't  speak  the  first  word  of  it,  for  I 
have  been  a  sailor  all  my  life,  though  I  went 
through  the  naval  academy  somewhat  hurriedly," 
continued  the  commander. 

"Fortunately  you  don't  need  French  on  the 
quarter-deck ; "  and  Christy  left  the  stateroom. 

The  captain  went  into  his  cabin,  but  came  out 
before  the  passenger  could  reach  the  deck.  He 
informed  Christy  that  he  was  directed  to  heave 
short  on  the  anchor  and  watch  for  a  signal  men- 
tioned, which  was  to  be  hoisted  near  the  Battery. 
He  might  get  under  way  at  any  minute. 


THE   DEPARTURE    OF    THE    CHATEAUGAY        39 

Christy  found  the  person  of  whom  the  captain 
had  spoken  in  the  waist.  He  was  dressed  in  a 
black  suit,  and  looked  more  like  a  dandy  than  a 
detective.  He  was  apparently  about  forty  years 
of  age,  rather  slenderly  built,  but  with  a  graceful 
form.  He  wore  a  long  black  mustache,  but  no 
other  beard.  He  was  pacing  the  deck,  and  seemed 
to  be  very  uneasy,  possibly  because  he  was  all 
alone,  for  no  one  took  any  notice  of  him,  though 
the  captain  had  received  liim  very  politely. 

"Monsieur  Gilfleur?"  said  Christy,  walking  up 
to  him,  and  bowing  as  politely  as  a  Parisian. 

"  I  am  Mr.  Gilfleur ;  have  I  the  honor  to  address 
Lieutenant  Passford  ?  "  replied  the  Frenchman. 

"  I  am  Lieutenant  Passford,  though  I  have  no 
official  position  on  board  of  this  steamer." 

"I  am  aware  of  it,"  added  Mr.  Gilfleur,  as  he 
chose  to  call  himself,  taking  a  letter  from  the 
breast  pocket  of  his  coat,  and  handing  it  very 
gracefully  to  Christy. 

"Pardon  me,"  added  the  young  officer,  as  he 
opened  tlie  missive. 

It  was  simply  a  letter  of  introduction  from 
Captain  Passford,  intended  to  assure  him  of  the 
identity   of    the   French   detective.     Mr.  Gilfleur 


40  FIGHTING   FOR    THE   EIGHT 

evidently  prided  himself  ou  his  knowledge  of  the 
English  language,  for  he  certainly  spoke  it  flu- 
ently and  correctly,  though  with  a  little  of  the 
accent  of  his  native  tongue. 

"  I  am  very  happy  to  meet  you,  Mr.  Gilfleur," 
said  Christy  in  French,  as  he  extended  his  hand  to 
the  other,  who  promptly  took  it,  and  from  that 
moment  seemed  to  lose  all  his  embarrass- 
ment. 

"  I  thank  you,  Mr.  Passford,  for  this,  pleasant 
reception,  for  it  is  possible  that  we  may  have  a 
great  deal  of  business  together,  and  I  hope  you 
have  confidence  in  me." 

"  Unlimited  confidence,  sir,  since  my  father 
heartily  indorses  you." 

"  I  thank  you,  sir,  and  I  am  sure  we  shall  be 
good  friends,  though  I  am  not  a  gentleman  like 
you,  Mr.  Passford." 

"  You  are  my  equal  in  every  respect,  for  though 
my  father  is  a  very  rich  man,  I  am  not.  But  we 
are  all  equals  in  this  country." 

"I  don't  know  about  that,"  said  the  Frenchman, 
with  a  Parisian  shrug  of  the  shoulders.  "  Your 
father  has  treated  me  very  kindly,  and  I  have 
heard  a  great   deal  about  his  brave   and  acconi- 


THE   DEPARTURE   OF   THE   CH  ATE  AUG  AY       41 

plished  son,"  said  Mr.  Gilfleur,  with  a  very  defer- 
ential bow. 

"  Spare  me !  "  pleaded  Christy,  with  a  depreca- 
tory smile  and  a  shake  of  the  head. 

"  You  are  very  modest,  Mr.  Passford,  and  I  will 
not  offend  you.  I  am  not  to  speak  of  our  mission 
before  the  Chateaugay  is  out  of  sight  of  land," 
said  the  detective,  looking  into  the  eyes  of  the 
young  man  with  a  gaze  which  seemed  to  reach  the 
soul,  for  he  was  doubtless  measuring  the  quality 
and  calibre  of  his  associate  in  the  mission,  as  he 
called  it,  in  which  both  were  engaged.  "  I  knew 
your  father  very  well  in  Paris,"  he  added,  with- 
drawing his  piercing  gaze. 

"  Then  you  are  the  gentleman  who  found  the 
stewardess  of  the  Bellevite  when  she  ran  away 
with  a  bag  of  French  gold  at  Havre?"  said  Christy, 
opening  his  eyes. 

"I  have  the  honor  to  be  that  person,"  replied 
Mr.  Gilfleur,  with  one  of  his  graceful  bows.  "  It 
was  a  difficult  case,  for  the  woman  was  associated 
with  one  of  the  worst  thieves  of  Paris,  and  it  took 
me  a  month  to  run  them  down." 

"  Though  I  was  a  small  boy,  I  remember  it  very 
well,  for  I  was  on  board  of  the  Bellevite  at  the 


42  FIGHTING    FOR   THE    EIGHT 

time,"  replied  Christy.  "I  know  that  he  was  very 
enthusiastic  in  his  praise  of  the  wonderful  skill  of 
the  person  who  recovered  the  money  and  sent  the 
two  thieves  to  prison.  I  understand  now  why  my 
father  sent  to  Paris  for  you  when  he  needed  a 
very  skilful  person  of  your  profession." 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Passford ;  you  know  me  now, 
and  we  shall  be  good  friends." 

"No  doubt  of  it;  but  here  comes  the  captain, 
and  I  have  a  word  to  say  to  him,"  added  Christy, 
as  he  touched  his  naval  cap  to  the  commander. 
"Allow  me  to  introduce  to  you  my  friend  Mr. 
Gilfleur,  whom  my  father  employed  in  Havre  six 
years  ago." 

The  captain  was  as  polite  as  the  Frenchman, 
and  gave  him  a  hearty  reception.  Christy  then 
suggested  that  his  friend  should  be  berthed  in  the 
ward  room.  The  ship's  steward  was  called,  and 
directed  to  give  Mr.  Gilfleur  a  room  next  to  the 
other  passenger.  As  they  were  likely  to  have 
many  conferences  together  in  regard  to  the  busi- 
ness on  their  hands,  they  were  both  particular  in 
regard  to  the  location  of  their  rooms ;  and  the 
chief  steward  suited  them  as  well  as  he  could. 

The  detective  spoke  to  him  in  French,  but  the 


THE  DEPARTURE   OF   THE   CHATEAUGAY       43 

steward  could  not  understand  a  word  he  said. 
Christy  inquired  if  any  of  the  ward-room  officers 
spoke  the  polite  language,  for  his  friend  might 
sometimes  wish  to  converse  in  his  own  tongue. 

"  I  don't  believe  they  do,  for  they  all  got  into 
the  ward  room  through  the  hawse-hole,"  replied 
the  steward,  laugliing  at  the  very  idea. 

When  the  passengers  went  on  deck,  the  com- 
mander introduced  them  both  to  the  officers  of  the 
ship.  To  each  in  turn,  at  the  request  of  Christy, 
he  put  the  question  as  to  whether  or  not  he 
could  speak  French  ;  and  they  all  replied  promptly 
in  the  negative,  and  laughed  at  the  inquiry. 

"  Have  you  no  one  on  board  who  speaks  French, 
Captain  Chanter  ?  "  asked  Christy. 

"  I  don't  know  anything  about  it,  but  as  it  seems 
to  be  of  some  importance  to  you  and  your  friend, 
I  will  ascertain  at  once.  Mr.  Suppleton,  will  you 
overhaul  the  ship's  company,  and  see  if  you  can 
find  any  one  that  speaks  French,"  continued  the 
commander,  addressing  the  chief  steward. 

In  about  half  an  hour  he  returned,  and  reported 
that  he  was  unable  to  find  a  single  person  who 
could  speak  a  word  of  French.  Doubtless  many 
of  the  officers,  who  were  of  higher  grade  than  any 


44  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

on  board  of  the  Chateaugay,  were  fluent  enough 
in  the  language,  but  they  were  not  to  be  found  in 
the  smaller  vessels  of  the  navy;  for,  whatever 
their  rank  before  the  war,  they  had  all  been  ad- 
vanced to  the  higher  positions.  Every  one  of 
the  officers  on  board  of  this  steamer  had  been  the 
captain  of  a  vessel,  and  had  been  instructed  in  the 
profession  after  the  war  began.  Though  substan- 
tially educated,  they  were  not  to  be  compared  in 
this  respect  with  the  original  officers. 

"  We  can  talk  as  much  as  we  please  of  our 
mission  after  we  get  out  of  sight  of  land ;  and  as 
long  as  we  do  it  in  French,  no  one  will  understand 
us,"  said  Christy  to  his  fellow-passenger. 

"  As  soon  as  we  are  permitted  by  my  orders  to 
do  so,  I  shall  have  much  to  say  to  you,  Mr.  Pass- 
ford,"  replied  Mr.  Gilfleur. 

"  On  deck ! "  shouted  a  man  in  the  mizzen- 
top. 

"  Aloft ! "  returned  Mr.  Birdwing,  the  first 
lieutenant. 

"  Signal  over  the  boarding-station,  sir ! "  re- 
ported the  quartermaster  in  the  top.  "  It  is  a 
number  —  '  Get  under  way  !  '  " 

The  executive  officer  reported  the  signal  to  the 


THE   DEPARTURE   OF   THE   CHATEADGAY       45 

commander,   though   he    was   on   deck,    and    had 
heard  the  words  of  the  quartermaster. 

"  Get  under  way  at  once,  Mr.  Birdwing,"  said 
the  captain. 

"  Boatswain,  all  hands  up  anchor ! "  said  the' 
first  lieutenant  to  this  officer;  and  in  a  moment 
the  call  rang  through  the  ship. 

Every  officer  and  seaman  was  promptly  in  his 
station,  for  it  was  a  welcome  call.  The  ship's 
company  were  dreaming  of  prize-money,  for  ofli- 
cers  had  made  fabulous  sums  from  this  source. 
In  one  instance  a  lieutenant  received  for  his  share 
nearly  forty  thousand  dollars ;  and  even  an  ordi- 
nary seaman  pocketed  seventeen  hundred  from  a 
single  capture.  The  Chateaugayans  were  anxious 
to  engage  in  this  harvest,  and  in  a  hurry  to  be  on 
their  way  to  the  field  of  fortune. 

In  a  short  time  the  steamer  was  standing  down 
East  River  at  moderate  speed.  The  Ionian  could 
not  be  seen  yet,  and  nothing  in  regard  to  her  was 
known  to  any  one  on  board  except  the  captain  aiKl 
his  two  passengers.  As  the  ship  approached  the 
battery,  a  tug,  which  Christy  recognized  as  the 
one  his  father  had  employed,  came  off  and  hailed 
the    Chateaugay.     The   screw   was   stopped,    and 


46  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

Captain  Passford  was  discovered  at  her  bow.  He 
waved  his  hat  to  his  son,  saluted  the  commander 
in  the  same  manner,  and  then  passed  up  an 
envelope. 

Tlie  tug  sheered  off,  and  the  ship  continued  on. 
her  course,  with  a  pilot  at  the  wheel.  The  mis- 
sive from  the  shore  was  addressed  to  Captain 
Chantor.  He  opened  it  at  once,  and  then  ordered 
one  bell  to  be  rung  to  stop  her.  A  few  moments 
later  a  heavy  tug  came  off,  and  twelve  men  were 
put  on  board,  with  an  order  signed  by  the  govern- 
ment official  for  the  commander  to  receive  them 
on  board.  There  had  evidently  been  some  after- 
thoughts on  shore.  These  men  were  turned  in 
with  the  crew,  except  two  who  were  officers,  and 
they  were  put  in  the  ward  room.  The  ship  then 
proceeded  on  her  course. 

"  The  Ionian  is  about  two  miles  ahead  of  us, 
Mr.  Passford,"  said  the  captain,  after  he  had  used 
his  glass  diligently  for  some  time.  And  he  spoke 
in  a  very  low  tone. 

"  We  have  no  business  with  her  at  present," 
added  Christy. 

"  None,  except  to  watch  her ;  and,  fortunately, 
we  have  fine,  clear  weather,  so  that  will  not  be  a 


THE  DEPARTURE   OF   THE   CHATEAUGAY       47 

difficult  job.  By  the  way,  Mr.  Passford,  the  enve 
h^pe  I  received  was  from  your  father,  and  he  gives 
me  information  of  another  steamer  expected  in 
the  vicinity  of  Bermuda  about  this  time;  and  he 
thinks  we  had  better  look  for  her  when  she  comes 
out  from  those  islands,"  said  the  captain,  evidently 
delighted  with  the  prospect  before  him. 

"  What  are  these  men  for  that  were  sent  off  in 
the  tug  ?  "  Christy  inquired ;  for  he  felt  that  he 
had  a  right  to  ask  the  question. 

"  They  are  to  take  the  Ionian  back  to  'Ne^^ 
York,  if  we  have  to  capture  her." 

Captain  Passford  appeared  to  be  afraid  tho 
Chateaugay  would  be  shorthanded  if  she  had  to 
send  a  prize  crew  home  with  the  Ionian. 


48  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 


CHAPTER    IV 

MONSIEUR   GILFLEITR   EXPLAINS 

The  two  officers  and  ten  men  that  had  been 
sent  off  to  the  Chateaugay  after  she  got  under 
way,  had  evidently  been  considered  necessary  by 
the  authorities  on  shore  after  the  receipt  of  the 
intelligence  that  another  vessel  for  the  Confeder- 
ates had  been  sent  to  Bermuda.  A  steamer  had 
arrived  that  day  from  Liverpool,  and  Captain 
Passford  must  have  received  his  mail  after  he 
landed  from  the  tug.  Captain  Chantor  had  waited 
several  hours  for  the  signal  to  get  under  way,  and 
there  had  been  time  enough  to  obtain  the  rein- 
forcement from  the  Navy  Yard. 

The  officer  in  command  of  the  detachment  of 
sailors  said  that  he  had  been  ordered  to  follow  the 
Chateaugay,  and  he  had  been  provided  with  a  fast 
boat  for  this-  purpose.  The  steamer  proceeded  on 
her  course  as  soon  as  the  transport  boat  had  cast 
off  her  fasts,   and   everything  suddenly    quieted 


MONSIEUR   GILFLEUR   EXPLAINS  49 

down  on  board  of  her.  The  distance  between  the 
Ionian  and  the  man-of-war  was  soon  reduced  to 
about  a  mile.  It  was  beginning  to  grow  dark,  but 
the  crew  had  been  stationed  and  billed  while  the 
ship  lay  off  the  Navy  Yard ;  but  the  new  hands 
sent  on  board  were  assigned  to  watches  and 
quarter-watches,  stationed  and  billed,  as  though 
they  were  a  part  of  the  regular  ship's  company. 
One  of  the  two  additional  officers  was  placed  in 
each  of  the  watches. 

Before  it  was  really  dark  everj^thing  on  board 
was  in  order,  and  the  ship  was  put  in  perfect  trim. 
Christy  could  not  help  seeing  that  Captain  Chan- 
tor  was  a  thorough  commander,  and  that  his  offi- 
cers were  excellent  in  all  respects.  He  walked 
about  the  ship,  wishing  to  make  himself  familiar 
with  her.  His  father  had  not  written  to  him  in 
regard  to  the  second  vessel  which  the  Chateaugay 
was  to  look  out  for  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Ber- 
muda Islands,  and  he  only  knew  what  the  captain 
had  told  him  in  regard  to  the  matter. 

If  the  steamer  was  armed,  as  probably  she  was, 
an  action  would  be  likely  to  come  off,  and  the 
young  lieutenant  could  not  remain  idle  wliile  a 
battle  was  in  pi-ospcct.     His   quick  eye  enabled 


50  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   KIGHT 

him  to  take  in  all  he  saw  without  much  study, 
and  only  one  thing  bothered  him.  In  the  waist, 
secured  on  blocks,  was  something  like  the  ordinary 
whaleboat  used  in  the  navy;  but  it  was  somewhat 
larger  than  those  with  which  he  was  familiar  in 
the  discharge  of  his  duties,  and  differed  in  other 
respects  from  them.  The  first  watch  would  begin 
at  eight  o'clock,  and  all  hands  were  still  on  duty. 

"What  do  you  call  this  boat,  Mr.  Carlin?" 
asked  Christy,  as  the  third  lieutenant  was  passing 
him. 

"  I  call  it  a  nondescript  craft,"  replied  the  offi- 
cer, laughing.  "  It  is  something  like  a  whaleboat, 
but  it  isn't  one." 

"  What  is  it  for  ?  "  inquired  the  passenger. 

"  That  is  more  than  I  know,  sir.  It  was  put  on 
deck  while  we  were  still  at  the  Navy  Yard.  I 
never  saw  a  boat  just  like  it  before,  and  I  have 
not  the  remotest  idea  of  its  intended  use.  Prob- 
ably the  captain  can  infoi'm  you." 

Christy  was  no  wiser  than  before,  but  his  curi- 
osity was  excited.  He  strolled  to  the  quarter- 
deck, where  he  found  the  captain  directing  his 
night-glass  towards  the  Ionian,  which  showed  her 
port  light  on  the  starboard  hand,  indicating  that 


MONSIEUR   GILFLEUU   EXPLAINS  51 

the  Chateaugay  was  running  ahead  of  her.  The 
commander  called  the  second  lieutenant,  and  gave 
him  the  order  for  the  chieT  engineer  to  reduce  the 
speed  of  the  ship. 

"  The  Ionian  is  a  slow  boat ;  at  least,  she  is  'not 
as  fast  as  the  Chateaugay,  Mr.  Passford,"  said  Cap- 
tain Chantor,  when  Christy  had  halted  near  him. 

"  That  is  apparent,"  replied  Christy.  "  How 
many  knots  can  you  make  in  your  ship,  Captain 
Chantor?" 

"  I  am  told  that  she  has  made  fifteen  when 
driven  at  her  best." 

"  That  is  more  than  the  average  of  the  steamers 
in  the  service  by  three  knots,"  added  Christy.  "  I 
have  just  been  forward,  Captain,  and  I  saw  there 
a  boat  which  is  not  quite  on  the  regulation 
pattern." 

"  It  is  like  a  whaleboat,  though  it  differs  from 
one  in  some  respects,"  added  the  commander. 

"Is  it  for  ordinary  service.  Captain  Chantor?" 

"  There  you  have  caught  me,  for  I  don't  know 
to  what  use  she  is  to  be  applied,"  replied  the  cap- 
tain, laughing  because,  as  the  highest  authority  on 
board  of  the  ship,  he  was  unable  to  answer  the 
question. 


52  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

"  You  don't  know  ?  "  queried  Christy.  "  Or 
have  I  asked  an  indiscreet  question  ?  "  said  the 
passenger. 

"  If  I  knew,  and  found  it  necessary  to  conceal 
my  knowledge  from  you,  I  should  say  so  squarely, 
Mr.  Passford,"  added  the  commander,  a  little 
piqued.     "  I  would  not  resort  to  a  lie." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Captain  Chantor ;  I  cer- 
tainly meant  no  offence,"  pleaded  Christy. 

"•No  offence,  Mr.  Passford;  my  hand  upon  it," 
said  the  commander,  and  they  exchanged  a  friendly 
grip  of  the  hands.  "I  really  know  nothing  at  all 
in  regard  to  the  intended  use  of  the  boat ;  in  my 
orders,  I  am  simply  directed  to  place  it  at  the  dis- 
posal of  Mr.  Gilfleur  at  such  time  and  place  as  he 
may  require,  and  to  co-operate  with  him  in  any 
enterprise  in  which  he  may  engage.  I  must  refer 
you  to  the  French  gentleman  for  any  further 
information." 

The  passenger  went  below  to  the  ward  room. 
The  door  of  the  detective's  room  was  closed,  and 
he  knocked.  He  was  admitted,  and  there  he 
found  Mr.  Gilfleur  occupied  with  a  file  of  papers, 
which  he  was  busily  engaged  in  studying.  In  the 
little    apartment   were    two    middle-sized   valises, 


MONSIEUR   GILFLEUR   EXPLAINS  53 

which  made  it  look  as  though  the  detective  ex- 
pected to  pass  some  time  on  his  present  voyage  to 
the  South. 

"  I  hope  I  don't  disturb  you,  Mr.  Gilfleur,"  said 
Christy  in  French. 

"  Not  at  all,  Mr.  Passford ;  I  am  glad  to  see  you, 
for  I  am  ordered  to  consult  very  freely  with  you, 
and  to  inform  you  fully  in  regard  to  all  my  plans," 
replied  the  Frenchman. 

"  Perhaps  you  can  tell  me,  then,  what  that  boat 
in  the  waist  is  for,"  Christy  began,  in  a  very  pleas- 
ant tone,  and  in  his  most  agreeable  manner,  per- 
haps copying  to  some  extent  the  Parisian  suavity, 
as  he  had  observed  it  in  several  visits  he  had  made 
to  the  gay  capital. 

"I  can  tell  you  all  about  it,  Mr.  Passford, 
though  that  is  my  grand  secret.  No  other  person 
on  board  of  this  ship  knows  what  it  is  for ;  but  you 
are  my  confidant,  though  I  never  had  one  before  in 
the  practice  of  my  profession,"  replied  Mr.  Gil- 
fleur, fixing  his  keen  gaze  upon  his  associate.  "  A 
man's  secret  is  the  safest  when  he  keeps  it  to  him- 
self.    But  I  will  tell  you  all  about  it." 

"  No !  no  !  I  don't  wish  you  to  do  that,  Mr.  Gil- 
fleur, if  you  deem  it  wise  to  keep  the  matter  to 


64  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

yourself,"  interposed  Christy.  "  My  curiosity  is  a 
little  excited,  but  I  can  control  it." 

"  I  shall  tell  you  all  about  it,  for  this  affair  is 
different  from  the  ordinary  practice  of  ni}^  profes- 
sion," replied  the  detective ;  and  he  proceeded  to 
give  a  history  of  the  boat  in  the  waist,  and  then 
detailed  the  use  to  which  it  was  to  be  applied. 

"  I  am  quite  satisfied,  and  I  should  be  glad  to 
take  part  in  the  expedition  in  which  you  intend 
to  use  it,"  said  Christy  wlien  the  explanation  in 
regard  to  the  boat  was  finished. 

"  You  would  be  willing  to  take  part  in  my  little 
enterprise !  "  exclaimed  the  Frenchman,  his  eyes 
lighting  up  with  pleasure. 

"  I  should ;  why  not  ?  " 

"  Because  it  may  be  very  dangerous,  and  a  slight 
slip  may  cost  us  both  our  lives,"  replied  the  detec- 
tive very  impressively,  and  with  another  of  his 
keen  and  penetrating  glances. 

"I  have  not  been  in  the  habit  of  keeping  under 
cover  in  my  two  years'  service  in  the  navy,  and  I 
know  what  danger  is,"  added  Christy. 

"  I  know  you  are  a  very  brave  young  officer,  Mr. 
Passford,  but  this  service  is  very  different  from 
that  on  the  deck  of  a  ship  of  war  in  action.     But 


MONSIEUR    GILFLEUll    EXPLAINS  55 

we  will  talk  of  that  at  a  future  time,"  said  Mr. 
Gilfleur,  as  he  rose  hastily  from  his  arm-chair 
at  the  desk,  and  rushed  out  into  the  ward 
room. 

Christy  had  heard  footsteps  outside  of  the  door, 
and  he  followed  his  companion.  They  found  there 
Mr.  Suppleton,  the  ship's  steward,  with  the  two 
extra  officers  who  had  been  sent  on  board. 

"  Do  you  speak  French,  gentlemen  ?  "  asked  the 
detective,  addressing  himself  to  the  two  officers. 

"  Not  a  word  of  it,"  replied  Mr.  Gwyndale,  one 
of  them. 

"  Not  a  syllable  of  it,"  added  Mr.  Tempers,  the 
other. 

"  Excuse  me,  gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  Gilfieur,  as 
he  retreated  to  his  room. 

Mr.  Suppleton  introduced  the  two  new  officers 
to  Christy,  and  fie  then  followed  his  associate. 
The  Frenchman  was  afraid  the  new-comers  under- 
stood his  native  language,  and  had  been  listening 
to  his  explanation  of  the  use  of  the  strange  boat ; 
but  he  had  spoken  in  a  whisper,  and  no  one  could 
have  heard  him,  even  if  the  listener  had  been  a 
Frenchman. 

"  We  are  all  right,"    said  the  detective  when 


56  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

they  had  both  resumed  their  seats,  and  the  French- 
man had  begun  to  overhaul  his  papers. 

Mr.  Gilfleur  proceeded  to  exphxin  in  what 
manner  he  had  obtained  his  knowledge  of  the  plot 
to  send  the  gun-making  machinery  to  the  South. 
One  of  Captain  Passford's  agents  had  ascertained 
the  name  of  Hillman  Davis,  who  was  in  correspond- 
ence with  those  who  were  fitting  out  the  ships 
for  the  Confederate  service. 

"But  that  is  all  we  learned  from  the  letters  — 
that  the  men  who  were  sending  out  the  ships  were 
in  correspondence  with  this  man  Davis,  who  is  a 
very  respectable  merchant  of  New  York,"  Mr. 
Gilfleur  proceeded. 

"  Is  that  all  you  had  to  start  with,  my  friend  ?  " 
asked  Christy. 

"  That  was  all ;  and  it  was  very  little.  Your 
American  detectives  are  morf  cautious  than 
Frenchmen  in  the  same  service." 

"  I  don't  see  how  in  the  world  you  could  work 
up  the  case  with  nothing  more  than  a  mere  name 
to  begin  with,"  added  Christ}^,  beginning  to  have 
a  higher  opinion  than  ever  of  the  skill  of  the 
French  detective. 

"  I  tell  you  it  was  a  narrow  foundation  on  which 


MONSIEUR   GILFLEUR    EXPLAINS  67 

to  work  up  the  case.  It  may  amuse  you,  but  I 
will  tell  you  how  it  was  done.  In  the  first  place, 
Captain  Passford  gave  me  all  the  money  I  needed 
to  work  with.  I  applied  for  a  situation  at  Mr. 
Davis's  warehouse.  He  imported  wines  and 
liquors  from  France  ;  when  his  corresponding  clerk, 
who  spoke  and  wrote  French,  was  commissioned 
as  a  lieutenant  in  the  army,  he  was  looking  for  a 
man  to  take  his  place.  He  employed  me.  I  had 
charge  of  the  letters,  and  carried  the  mail  to  him 
in  his  private  counting-room  every  time  it  came." 

"I  don't  believe  that  any  of  our  American 
detectives  would  have  been  competent  to  take 
such  a  position,"  suggested  Christy,  deeply  inter- 
ested in  the  narrative. 

"  That  is  where  I  had  the  advantage  of  them. 
I  was  well  educated,  and  was  graduated  from  the 
University  of  France,  with  the  parchment  in  that 
valise,  signed  by  the  minister  of  education.  The 
carrier  brought  all  the  letters  to  my  desk.  I 
looked  them  over,  and  when  I  found  any  from 
England  or  Scotland,  or  even  France,  I  opened 
and  read  them." 

"  How  could  you  do  that  ? "  asked  Christy 
curiously. 


68  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

"  I  was  educated  to  be  a  lawyer ;  but  before  I 
entered  upon  the  profession,  I  found  I  had  a  taste 
for  the  detective  service.  I  did  some  amateur 
work  first,  and  was  very  successful.  I  afterwards 
reached  a  high  position  in  the  service  of  the 
government.  I  acquired  a  great  deal  of  skill  in 
disguising  myself,  and  in  all  the  arts  of  the  pro- 
fession. I  could  open  and  reseal  a  letter  so  that 
no  change  could  be  discovered  in  its  appearance, 
and  this  was  what  I  did  in  the  service  of  Mr. 
Davis.  He  was  a  mean  man,  the  stingiest  I  ever 
met,  and  he  was  as  dishonest  and  unscrupulous  as 
a  Paris  thief.  I  copied  all  the  letters  connected 
with  the  case  I  had  in  hand,  and  this  enabled  me  to 
get  to  the  bottom  of  the  traitor's  plot.  He  wrote 
letters  himself,  not  only  to  England  and  Scotland, 
but  to  people  in  the  South,  sending  them  to  Ber- 
muda and  Nassau.  I  took  copies  of  all  these,  and 
saved  one  or  two  originals.  My  pay  was  so  small 
that  I  resigned  my  situation,"  and  he  flourished 
a  srreat  file  of  letters  as  he  finished. 


AN    ABUNDANCE   OP   EVIDENCE  69 


CHAPTER   V 

AN  ABUNDANCE  OF   EVIDENCE 

Captain  Passford  had  certainly  kept  his  own 
counsel  with  punctilious  care ;  for  he  had  never 
even  mentioned  the  skilful  detective  in  his  family, 
though  the  members  of  it  had  met  the  gentleman 
in  Paris  and  in  Havre.  Mr.  Gilflcur  was  in  con- 
stant communication  with  him  while  he  was  work- 
ing up  the  exposure  of  the  treason  of  Davis,  who 
might  have  been  a  relative  of  the  distinguished 
gentleman  at  the  head  of  the  Southern  Con- 
federacy, though  there  was  no  evidence  to  this 
effect. 

"  If  the  captain  of  this  steamer  manages  his 
affair  well  with  the  Ionian,  I  expect  to  find  letters 
on  board  of  her  signed  by  Davis,"  continued  Mr. 
Gilfleur.  "  From  the  information  I  obtained,  your 
father  put  American  detectives  on  the  scent  of 
Davis,  who  dogged  him  day  and  night  till  they 
found  the  Ionian,  and  ascertained  in  what  manner 


60  FIGHTING   FOE   THE    RIGHT 

she  obtained  her  cargo ;  but  she  had  been  partly 
loaded  before  they  reached  a  conclusion,  and  it  is 
suspected  that  she  has  arms  under  the  pieces  of 
machinery,  perhaps  cannon  and  ammunition." 

The  detective  continued  to  explain  his  operations 
at  greater  length  than  it  is  necessary  to  report 
them.  Christy  listened  till  nearly  midnight,  and 
then  he  went  on  deck  to  ascertain  the  position  of 
the  chase  before  he  turned  in.  He  found  the  cap- 
tain on  the  quarter-deck,  vigilant  and  faithful  to 
his  duty,  and  evidently  determined  that  the  Ionian , 
should  not  elude  him. 

"You  are  up  late,  Mr.  Passford,"  said  the  cap- 
tain, when  he  recognized  his  passenger  in  the 
gloom  of  the  night. 

"  I  have  been  busy,  and  I  came  on  deck  to  see 
where  the  Ionian  was  before  I  turned  in,"  replied 
Christy. 

"I  think  the  rascal  has  a  suspicion  that  we  have 
some  business  with  him,  for  at  four  bells  he  turned 
his  head  in  for  the  shore,"  added  the  commander. 
"If  you  go  forward  you  will  see  that  we  have 
dowsed  every  glim  on  board,  even  to  our  mast- 
head and  side  lights." 

"  You  are  carrying  no  starboard  and  port 
liglit  ?  " 


AN   ABUNDANCE   OF    EVIDENCE  61 

"  None  ;  but  we  have  a  strong  lookout  aloft,  and 
in  every  other  available  place.  When  the  chase 
headed  for  the  shore,  we  kept  on  our  course  for 
half  an  hour,  and  then  put  out  the  lights.  We 
came  about  and  went  off  to  the  eastward  for 
another  half-hour.  Coming  about,  we  went  to  the 
westward  till  we  made  her  out,  for  she  has  not 
extinguished  her  lights.  It  is  dark  enough  to  con- 
ceal the  ship  from  her,  and  no  doubt  she  thinks 
we  are  still  far  to  the  southward  of  her.  At  any 
rate,  she  has  resumed  her  former  course,  which  was 
about  south,  half  west." 

Christy  was  satisfied  with  this  explanation,  for 
the  Ionian  was  doing  just  what  she  was  expected 
to  do.  She  was  not  inclined  to  be  overhauled  by 
a  gunboat,  and  she  had  attempted  to  dodge  the 
Chateaugay.  Besides,  if  she  were  bound  to  Wil- 
mington, as  her  clearance  stated,  she  would  turn 
to  the  south-west  two  or  three  points  by  thif  time. 
The  young  officer  seated  himself  in  his  room,  and 
fiofured  on  the  situation.  If  the  steamer  were 
making  an  honest  voyage  she  would  not  be  more 
than  twenty  miles  off  Absecum  light  at  this  time, 
and  ought  to  l)e  within  ten  of  the  coa'Jt. 

At  two  bells  Christy  was  still  in  his  chair,  and 


62  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

when  lie  heard  the  bells  he  decided  to  go  on  deck 
again,  for  he  felt  that  the  time  would  soon  come 
to  settle  every  doubt  in  regard  to  the  character  of 
the  Ionian.  He  found  the  commander  still  at  his 
post,  and  he  looked  out  for  the  chase.  It  was  not 
more  than  a  mile  distant,  and  hardly  to  be  seen  in 
the  gloom  of  a  dark  night. 

"On  deck  again,  Mr.  Passford?"  said  Captain 
Chantor. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  I  am  too  much  interested  in  this 
affair  to  sleep ;  besides,  I  feel  as  though  I  had 
slept  at  home  enough  to  last  me  six  months," 
replied  the  passenger.  "It  seems  to  me  tha't  the 
question  of  that  vessel's  destination  is  to  be  de- 
cided about  this  time,  or  at  least  within  an  hour 
or  two." 

Christy  explained  the  calculation  he  had  been 
making,  in  which  the  captain  agreed  with  him,  and 
declared  that  he  had  been  over  the  same  course 
of  reasoning.  Both  of  them  thought  the  Ionian 
would  not  wait  till  daylight  to  change  her  course, 
as  it  would  be  more  perilous  to  do  so  then  than  in 
the  darkness. 

"I  am  confident  that  she  has  not  seen  the 
Cliateaugay  since  we  put  out  tlio  liglits,"  said  the 


AN  ABUNDANCE   OF   EVIDENCE  63 

captain.  "  At  the  present  moment  we  must  be  off 
Absecum;  but  we  cannot  see  the  light.  She  is 
far  off  her  course  for  Wilmington." 

"  That  is  plain  enough." 

"•What  she  will  do  depends  upon  whether- or 
not  she  suspects  that  a  man-of-war  is  near  her. 
We  shall  soon  know,  for  she  is  already  in  a  position 
to  justify  her  capture." 

"  Better  make  sure  of  her  course  before  that  is 
done,"  suggested  Christy,  who  felt  that  he  was 
permitted  to  say  as  much  as  this. 

"  I  don't  intend  to  act  till  we  are  south  of  Cape 
Henlopen,"  added  the  commander  promptly.  "  Be- 
fore we  do  anything,  I  shall  formally  consult  you, 
Mr.  Passford,  as  I  am  advised  to  do." 

"  I" shall  be  happy  to  serve  as  a  volunteer,  and  I 
will  obey  your  orders  without  question,  and  as 
strictly  as  any  officer  on  board." 

"  That  is  handsome,  considering  the  position  in 
which  you  have  been  placed  on  board,  Mr.  Pass- 
ford,  and  I  appreciate  the  delicacy  of  your  conduct." 

Christy  remained  on  deck  another  hour,  and  at 
the  end  of  that  time  a  quartermaster  came  aft  to 
report  that  the  chase  had  changed  her  course  far- 
ther to  the  eastwaid.     Tliis  proved  to  be  the  fact 


64  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

on  examination  by  the  officers  on  the  quarter-deck, 
and  as  nearly  as  could  be  made  out  she  was  now 
headed  to  the  south-east. 

"But  that  will  not  take  her  to  the  Bahama 
Islands,"  suggested  Christy. 

"  Certainly  not ;  and  she  may  not  be  bound  to 
Nassau,  as  stated  in  those  letters.  But  it  is 
useless  to  speculate  on  her  destination,  for  we 
shall  be  in  condition  in  the  morning  to  form  an 
opinion,"  replied  the  captain.  "  I  shall  keep  Avell 
astern  of  her  till  morning  ;  and  if  there  should  be 
any  change  in  her  movements,  I  will  have  you 
called,  Mr.  Passford." 

Christy  considered  this  a  sage  conclusion,  and  he 
turned  in  on  the  strength  of  it.  He  was  not  dis- 
turbed during  the  remaining  hours  of  the  night. 
He  had  taken  more  exercise  than  usual  that  day, 
and  he  slept  soundly,  as  he  was  in  the  habit  of 
doing.  The  bell  forward  indicated  eight  o'clock 
when  he  turned  out.  Breakfast  was  all  read}^  but 
he  hastened  on  deck  to  ascertain  the  position  of 
the  chase.  The  captain  was  not  on  the  quarter- 
deck, but  the  first  lieutenant  was  planking  the 
deck  for  his  morning  "  constitutional." 

"  Good-morning,  Mr.  Bird  wing,"  said  Christy. 


AN   ABUNDANCE    OF  EVIDENCE  65 

"  Good-morning,  Mr.  Passford  ;  I  hope  yon  are 
very  well  this  morning,"  replied  the  executive 
officer. 

"  Quite  well,  I  thank  you,  sir.  But  what  has 
become  of  the  chase?"  asked  the  passenger^  for 
the  Ionian  did  not  appear  to  be  in  sight,  and  he 
besran  to  be  anxious  about  her. 

"  Still  ahead  of  us,  sir ;  but  she  cannot  be  seen 
without  a  glass.  I  was  called  with  the  morning 
watch,  when  the  captain  turned  in.  His  policy  is 
to  keep  the  Ionian  so  that  we  may  know  just 
where  she  is,  and  also  to  give  her  the  idea  that 
she  is  running  away  from  us,"  replied  Mr.  Bird- 
wing,  as  he  took  a  glass  from  the  brackets  and 
handed  it  to  Christy. 

The  young  officer  could  just  make  out  the 
steamer  with  the  aid  of  the  glass.  The  Chateau- 
gay  was  following  her ;  and  a  glance  at  the  com- 
pass gave  her  course  as  south-east,  half  south. 
Christy  had  sailed  the  Bronx  over  this  course,  and 
he  knew  where  it  would  bring  up. 

"  It  is  plain  enough,  Mr.  Birdwing,  that  the 
Ionian  is  not  bound  to  Nassau,"  said  he. 

"  So  Captain  Chantor  said  when  I  came  on  deck," 
replied  the  first  lieutenant. 


6Q  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

"And  it  is  equally  plain  where  she  is  bound," 
added  Christy.  "  That  course  means  the  Bermuda 
Islands,  and  doubtless  that  is  her  destination." 

"  So  the  captain  said." 

The  passenger  was  satisfied,  and  went  below  for 
his  breakfast.  He  found  Mr.  Gilfleur  at  the  table; 
and  as  the  fact  that  the  Chateaugay  was  chasing 
the  Ionian  was  well  understood  in  the  ward  room, 
Christy  did  not  hesitate  to  tell  him  the  news.  The 
Frenchman  bestowed  one  of  his  penetrating  glances 
upon  his  associate,  and  said  nothing.  After  the 
meal  was  finished  they  retired  to  the  detective's 
room.  Mr.  Gilfleur  looked  over  his  papers  very 
industriously  for  a  few  minutes. 

"  This  affair  is  not  working  exactly  as  it  should," 
said  he,  as  he  selected  a  letter  from  his  files.  "  I 
supposed  this  steamer  would  proceed  directly  to 
Nassau.     Read  this  letter,  Mr.  Passford." 

"  Colonel  Richard  Pierson  !  "  exclaimed  Christy, 
as  he  saw  to  whom  the  letter  was  addressed. 

"  Anything  strange  about  the  address  ?  "  asked 
the  detective. 

"  Perhaps  nothing  strange  ;  but  I  saw  this  gen- 
tleman in  Nassau  two  years  ago,"  replied  Christy, 
as  he  recalled  the  events  of  his  first  trip  to  Mobile 


AN    ABUNDANCE    OF   EVIDENCE  67 

in  the  Bellevite.  "  I  can  say  of  my  own  knowl- 
edge that  he  is  a  Confederate  agent,  and  was  try- 
ing to  purchase  vessels  there.  This  letter  is 
signed  by  Hillman  Davis." 

"  The  American  traitor,"  added  Mr.  Gilfleur; 
and  both  of  them  were  using  the  French  language. 

"  He  says  he  shall  send  the  machinery  and  other 
merchandise  to  Nassau  to  be  reshipped  to  Mobile," 
continued  Christy,  reading  the  letter.  "  He  adds 
that  he  has  bouglit  the  steamer  Ionian  for  this  pur- 
pose, and  he  expects  to  be  paid  in  full  for  her.  I 
think  that  is  quite  enough  to  condemn  the  steamer." 

^'  Undoubtedly  ;  but  what  is  the  Ionian  to  do  in 
the  Bermudas  ?  That  is  what  perplexes  me,"  said 
the  detective. 

"  Possibly  Captain  Chantor  can  solve  the  prob- 
lem, for  I  am  sure  I  cannot,"  answered  the  young 
officer,  as  he  rose  from  his  seat. 

He  was  as  much  perplexed  as  his  companion,  and 
he  went  on  deck  to  wait  the  appearance  of  the  com- 
mander. About  nine  o'clock  he  came  upon  the 
quarter-deck.  The  Ionian  remained  at  the  same 
relative  distance  from  the  Chateaugay,  for  the  cap- 
tain had  given  an  order  to  this  effect  before  he 
turned  in. 


68  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you,  Captain  Chantor,"  said 
Christy.  "  Can  you  explain  why  the  Ionian  is 
headed  for  the  Bermudas,  for  you  have  later  infor- 
mation than  any  in  my  possession?" 

"  I  think  I  can,"  replied  the  captain,  taking  a 
letter  from  his  pocket.  "  This  is  the  contents  of 
the  last  envelope  brought  off  from  the  shore. 
The  writer  of  it  says  he  has  just  addressed  a  letter 
to  'our  friend  in  New  York,'  directing  him,  if  it 
is  not  too  late,  to  send  the  steamer  with  the  ma- 
chinery and  other  merchandise  to  the  Bermudas, 
where  the  cargo  will  be  transferred  to  the  Dornoch ; 
for  the  Ovidio  had  been  obliged  to  sail  without 
her  armament,  and  the  cargo  was  too  valuable  to 
be  risked  without  protection." 

"  That  is  the  reason  why  the  reinforcement  was 
sent  off  at  the  last  moment,"  Christy  remarked. 

"  The  Dornoch  carries  six  guns  and  fifty  men," 
added  the  captain,  reading  from  the  letter.  "I 
think  we  need  not  wait  any  longer  to  take  posses- 
sion of  the  Ionian,  Mr.  Passford.  What  is  youv 
opinion  ?  " 

"  I  concur  entirely  with  you,"  replied  Christy. 

"  Quartermaster,  strike  four  bells,"  continued  the 
captain  to  the  man  who  was  conning  the  wheel. 


AN   ABUNDANCE   OF   EVIDENCE  69 

"  Four  bells,"  repeated  the  quartermaster ;  and 
the  gong  could  be  heard  on  deck  as  he  did  so. 

In  the  course  of  half  an  hour,  for  the  steam  had 
been  kept  rather  low  for  the  slow  progress  tlie 
ship  was  obliged  to  make  in  order  not  to  akirm 
the  chase,  the  Chateaugay  began  to  show  what  she 
could  do  in  the  matter  of  speed,  and  before  noon 
she  had  overhauled  the  Ionian. 


70  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE   BOARDING   OF   THE   IONIAN 

The  Chateaugay,  with  her  colors  flying,  ran 
abreast  of  the  Ionian  and  by  her;  but  the  latter 
did  not  show  her  flag.  A  blank  cartridge  was 
then  fired,  but  the  steamer  took  no  notice  of  it. 
A  shot  was  then  discharged  across  her  fore  foot, 
and  this  brought  her  to  her  senses,  so  that  she 
hoisted  the  British  flag,  and  stopped  her  screw. 
All  the  preparations  had  been  made  for  boarding 
her,  and  two  boats  were  in  readiness  to  discharge 
this  duty. 

The  first  cutter,  in  charge  of  Mr.  Birdwing,  was 
the  first  to  leave  the  ship.  The  sea  was  quite 
smooth,  so  that  there  was  no  difliculty  in  getting 
the  boats  off.  The  first  lieutenant's  boat  went 
from  the  starboard  side,  and  the  second  cutter  was 
lowered  on  the  port  in  charge  of  the  third  lieuten- 
ant. Christy  went  in  the  first  boat,  and  Mr.  Gil- 
fleur   in   tlie    second.     The    officers  and  crews  of 


THE   BOARDING    OP    THE   IONIAN  71 

both  boats  were  especially  directed  to  sec  that 
nothing  was  thrown  overboard  from  the  Ionian  ; 
for  if  her  captain  fonnd  that  he  was  in  a  "  tight 
2:)lace,"  he  would  be  likely  to  heave  his  papers  into 
the  sea. 

The  first  cutter  had  not  made  half  the  distance 
to  the  Ionian  before  she  pulled  down  the  British 
flag  and  hoisted  the  American  in  its  place.  Her 
commander  evidently  believed  that  he  was  getting 
into  hot  water,  and  well  he  might.  He  must  have 
been  selected  for  this  enterprise  on  account  of  his 
fitness  for  it,  and  as  the  steamer  had  not  sailed  on 
an  honest  voyage,  he  could  not  be  an  honest  man, 
and  the  officers  of  the  boats  despised  him.  They 
were  determined  to  discharge  their  duty  faithfully, 
even  if  they  were  obliged  to  treat  him  with  the 
utmost  rigor. 

"  She  has  corrected  her  first  blunder,"  said  Mr. 
Birdwing,  as  the  American  flag  went  up  to  her 
peak.  "  The  skipper  of  that  craft  don't  exactly 
know  what  he  is  about." 

"  It  must  be  a  surprise  to  him  to  be  brought  to 
by  a  United  States  man-of-war,"  added  Christy. 

"  But  why  did  the  fool  hoist  the  British  flag 
when   he   has   no   papers   to   back   it  up?     That 


72  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

would  have  done  very  well  among  the  blockaders," 
continued  the  officer  of  the  boat.  "I  don't  know 
veiy  much  about  this  business,  and  the  captain 
ordered  me  to  let  you  and  the  French  gentleman 
in  the  other  boat  have  your  own  way  on  board  of 
her,  and  to  do  all  you  required.  Have  you  any 
directions  for.  me  ?  " 

"  We  desire  to  have  the  steamer  thoroughly 
searched,  and  I  have  little  doubt  that  we  shall  ask 
you  to  take  possession  of  her,"  replied  Christy. 

"  Then  we  are  to  make  a  capture  of  it  ?  "  asked 
the  first  lieutenant,  manifesting  no  little  surprise. 

"  Under  certain  circumstances,  yes." 

"  Is  she  a  Confederate  vessel  ?  " 

"  No ;  she  is  an  American  vessel." 

"  All  right ;  but  I  shall  obey  my  orders  to  the 
very  letter,"  added  Mr.  Birdwing.  "  How  many 
men  shall  I  put  on  board  of  her?" 

"Twelve,  if  you  please,"  replied  Chiisty,  who 
had  arranged  the  plan  with  the  detective. 

"  Six  from  each  boat,"  said  the  executive  officer ; 
and  then  he  hailed  the  second  cutter,  and  directed 
Mr.  Carlin  to  send  this  number  on  board  of  the 
Icmian. 

"  And,  if   you  please,  direct  him  to  board  the 


THE   BOARDING    OF   THE   IONIAN  73 

steamer  on  the  starboard  side,  for  I  take  it  you 
will  board  on  the  port,"  added  Christy.  "  We 
fear  that  she  will  throw  certain  papers  overboard, 
and  we  must  prevent  that  if  possible." 

The  order  was  given  to  the  third  lieutenant,  and 
in  a  few  minutes  more  the  first  cutter  came  along- 
side the  steamer.  Mr.  Bird  wing  ordered  those  on 
board  to  drop  the  accommodation  ladder  over  the 
side ;  and  for  so  mild  a  gentleman  he  did  it  in  a 
very  imperative  tone.  The  order  was  obeyed, 
though  it  appeared  to  be  done  very  reluctantly. 
The  first  lieutenant  was  the  first  to  mount  the 
ladder,  and  was  closely  followed  by  his  passenger. 

"Where  is  the  captain? "  demanded  Mr.  Bird- 
wing,  as  the  six  men  detailed  for  the  purpose  were 
coming  over  the  side. 

"I  am  the  captain,"  replied  an  ill-favored  look- 
ing man,  stepping  forward  with  very  ill  grace. 

"  What  steamer  is  this  ?  " 

"  The  Ionian,  of  New  York,  bound  to  St.  George's, 
Bermuda,"  replied  the  captain  in  a  crusty  tone. 

"The  captain's  name?"  demanded  the  officer, 
becoming  more  imperative  as  the  commander  of 
the  Ionian  manifested  more  of  his  crabbed  dispo- 
sition. 


74  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

"Captain  Sawlock,"  growled  tlie  ill-favored  mas- 
ter of  the  steamer,  who  was  a  rather  short  man, 
thick-set,  with  a  face  badly  pitted  by  the  small-pox, 
but  nearly  covered  with  a  grizzly  and  tangled 
beard. 

"  You  will  oblige  me  by  producing  your  papers, 
Cajotain  Sawlock,"  continued  Mr.  Birdwing. 

"  For  a  good  reason,  my  papers  are  not  regular," 
answered  the  captain  of  the  Ionian,  with  an  attempt 
to  be  more  affable,  though  it  did  not  seem  to  be 
in  his  nature  to  be  anything  but  a  brute  in  his 
manners. 

"  Regular  or  not,  you  will  oblige  me  by  exhibit- 
ing them,"  the  officer  insisted. 

"  It  is  not  my  fault  that  a  change  was  made  in 
my  orders  after  I  got  under  way,"  pleaded  Captain 
Sawlock. 

"  Will  you  produce  your  clearance  and  other 
papers  ?  "  demanded  the  lieutenant  very  decidedly. 

"  This  is  an  American  vessel,  and  you  have  no 
right  to  overhaul  me  in  this  manner,"  growled  the 
captain  of  the  steamer. 

"  You  are  in  command  of  a  steamer,  and  you  can- 
not be  so  ignorant  as  to  believe  that  an  officer  of  a 
man-of-war  has  not  the  right  to  require  you  to  show 


THE   BOARDING    OF   THE   IONIAN  75 

your  papers,"  added  Mr.  Birdwing  with  a  palpable 

« 
sneer. 

"  This  is  an  American  vessel,"  repeated  Captain 
Sawlock. 

"  Then  why  did  you  hoist  the  British  flag  ?  "  ^ 

"  That's  my  business  !  " 

"  But  it  is  mine  also.  Do  you  decline  to  show 
your  papers  ?  You  are  trifling  with  me,"  said  Mr. 
Birdwing  impatiently. 

At  this  moment  there  was  a  scuffle  in  the  waist 
of  the  steamer,  which  attracted  the  attention  of  all 
on  the  deck.  Mr.  Gilfleur  had  suddenly  thrown 
himself  on  the  first  officer  of  the  Ionian ;  and  when 
his  second  officer  and  several  sailors  had  gone  to 
his  assistance,  the  third  lieutenant  of  the  Chateau- 
gay  had  rushed  in  to  the  support  of  the  French- 
man. The  man-of-war's  men  were  all  armed  with 
cutlasses  and  revolvers ;  but  they  did  not  use  their 
weapons,  and  it  looked  like  a  rough-and-tumble 
fight  on  the  deck. 

Mr.  Birdwing  and  Christy  rushed  over  to  the 
starboard  side  of  the  steamer ;  but  Mr.  Carlin  and 
his  men  had  so  effectively  sustained  the  detective 
that  the  affray  had  reached  a  conclusion  before 
they  could  interfere.     Mr.   Gilfleur  was  crawling 


76  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

out  from  under  two  or  three  men  who  had  thrown 
themselves  upon  him  when  he  brought  the  fir^ 
officer  to  the  deck  by  jumping  suddenly  upon  him. 
The  Frenchman  had  in  his  hand  a  tin  case  about  a 
foot  in  length,  and  three  inches  in  diameter,  such 
as  are  sometimes  used  to  contain  charters,  or  simi- 
lar valuable  papers. 

The  contest  had  plainly  been  for  the  possession 
of  this  case,  which  the  quick  eye  of  the  detective 
had  discovered  as  the  mate  was  carrying  it  forward ; 
for  Mr.  Carlin  had  sent  two  of  his  men  to  the  stern 
at  the  request  of  the  Frenchman,  charged  to  allow 
no  one  to  throw  anything  overboard.  The  first 
officer  of  the  Ionian  had  listened  to  the  conversBr 
tion  between  Captain  Sawlock  and  the  first  lieu- 
tenant, and  had  gone  below  into  the  cabin  when  it 
began  to  be  a  little  stormy. 

"•What  does  all  this  mean,  Mr.  Carlin?"  in- 
quired Mr.  Birdwing. 

"  I  simply  obeyed  my  orders  to  support  Mr.  Gil- 
fleur ;  and  he  can  explain  his  action  better  than  I 
can,"  replied  the  third  lieutenant. 

"  I  have  requested  the  officers,  through  Captain 
Chantor,  to  see  that  nothing  was  thrown  overboard, 
either  before  or  after  we  boarded  the  steamer,'' 
interposed  Christy. 


THE   BOARDING   OF   THE   IONIAN  77 

"And  the  captain's  order  has  been  obeyed," 
added  the  first  lieutenant.  "  Will  you  explain  the 
cause  of  this  affray,  Mr.  Gilfleur  ?  " 

"  With  the  greatest  pleasure,"  answered  the  de- 
tective with  one  of  his  politest  bows.  "  While  you 
were  talking  with  the  captain  of  the  Ionian,  I  saw 
the  first  officer  of  this  steamer  go  into  the  cabin. 
I  was  told  by  a  sailor  that  he  was  the  mate.  In  a 
minute  or  two  he  came  on  deck  again,  and  I  saw 
that  he  had  something  under  his  coat.  He  moved 
forward,  and  was  going  to  the  side  wlien  I  jumped 
upon  him.  After  a  struggle  I  took  this  tin  case 
from  him." 

The  detective  stepped  forward,  and  handed  the 
tin  case  to  the  executive  officer  as  gracefully  as 
though  he  had  been  figuring  in  a  ballroom.  Cap- 
tain Sawlock  had  followed  the  officers  over  from 
the  port  side.  He  appeared  to  be  confounded,  and 
listened  in  silence  to  the  explanation  of  Mr.  Gil- 
fleur.    But  he  looked  decidedly  ugly. 

"That  case  is  my  personal,  private  property," 
said  he,  as  soon  as  it  was  in  the  hands  of  the  chief 
officer  of  the  boarding-party. 

"  I  don't  dispute  it,  Captain  Sawlock  ;  but  at  the 
same  time  I  intend  to  examine  its  contents,"  re- 
plied Mr.  Birdwing  mildly,  but  firmly. 


78  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   EIGHT 

"  This  is  an  outrage,  Mr.  Officer ! ''  exclaimed  the 
discomfited  master. 

"  If  it  is,  I  am  responsible  for  it,"  added  the 
executive  officer,  as  he  removed  the  cover  from  the 
end  of  the  case. 

"  I  protest  against  this  outrage  !  I  will  not  sub- 
mit to  it !  "  howled  Captain  Sawlock,  carried  away 
by  his  wrath. 

"  Perhaps  you  will,"  said  Mr.  Birdwing  quietly. 

"  But  I  will  not !  " 

With  a  sudden  movement  he  threw  himself  upon 
the  officer,  and  attempted  to  wrest  the  tin  case  from 
his  hands.  Christy,  who  was  standing  behind  him, 
seized  him  by  the  collar  with  both  hands,  and 
hurled  him  to  the  deck.  A  moment  later  two  sea- 
men, by  order  of  Mr.  Carlin,  took  him  each  by  his 
two  arms,  and  held  him  like  a  vice. 

"  I  think  we  will  retire  to  the  cabin  to  examine 
these  papers,  for  I  see  that  the  case  is  filled  with 
documents,  including  some  sealed  letters,"  con- 
tinued Mr.  Birdwing,  as  he  moved  towards  the 
cabin  door. 

"  That  cabin  is  mine  !  You  can't  go  into  it !  " 
howled  Captain  Sawlock,  crazy  with  anger.  "  Don't 
let  them  go  into  the  cabin,  Withers  !  " 


THE    BOAr.DING    OF    THE   IQNIAN  79 

Withers  appeared  to  be  the  mate,  and  he  stepped 
forward  as  though  he  intended  to  do  something ; 
but  a  couple  of  seamen,  by  order  of  the  first  lieu- 
tenant, arrested  and  held  him.  He  had  apparently 
had  enough  of  it  in  his  encounter  with  the  detec- 
tive, for  he  submitted  without  any  resistance.  If 
the  captain  of  the  steamer  was  a  fool,  the  mate 
was  not,  for  he  saw  the  folly  of  resisting  a  United 
States  force. 

"  Mr.  Carlin,  you  will  remain  on  deck  with  the 
men  ;  Mr.  Passford  and  Mr.  Gilfleur,  may  I  trouble 
you  to  come  into  the  cabin  with  me  ?  "  continued 
Mr.  Birdwing,  as  he  led  the  way. 

The  executive  officer  seated  himself  at  the  table 
in  the  middle  of  the  cabin,  and  his  companions 
took  places  on  each  side  of  him.  The  first  jjaper 
drawn  from  the  case  was  the  clearance  of  the 
Ionian  for  Wilmington,  with  a  cargo  of  old  iron. 
Tlie  manifest  had  clearly  been  trumped  up  for  the 
occasion.  The  old  iron  was  specified,  and  a  list  of 
other  articles  of  merchandise. 

At  this  point  the  executive  officer  sent  for  Mr. 
Carlin,  and  directed  him  to  take  off  the  hatches 
and  examine  the  cargo,  especially  what  was  under 
the  pieces  of  machinery.     There  were  several  let- 


80  FIGHTING   FOIl   THE   EIGHT 

ters  to  unknown  persons,  and  one  in  particular  to 
the  captain  himself,  in  which  he  was  directed  to 
deliver  the  machinery  to  a  gentleman  with  the  title 
of  "  Captain,"  who  was  doubtless  a  Confederate 
agent,  in  St.  George's,  Bermuda.  The  papers  were 
abundantly  sufficient  to  convict  Davis  of  treason. 
The  last  one  found  in  the  case  directed  Captain 
Sawlock  to  deliver  the  cannon  and  ammunition  in 
the  bottom  of  the  vessel  to  the  steamer  Dornoch, 
on  her  arrival  at  St.  George's,  or  at  some  con- 
venient place  in  the  Bahama  Islands. 


A  BOLD  PEOPOSITION  81 


CHAPTER  VII 

A  BOLD   PEOPOSITION 

The  evidence  was  sufficient  to  justify  the  cap- 
ture of  the  Ionian  without  a  particle  of  doubt,  for 
she  was  as  really  a  Confederate  vessel  as  though 
the  captain  and  officers  were  provided  with  com- 
missions signed  by  Mr.  Jefferson  Davis. 

Mr.  Birdwing  went  to  the  door  and  directed  the 
third  lieutenant  to  have  Captain  Sawlock  con- 
ducted to  the  cabin;  and  the  two  seamen  who  had 
held  him  as  a  prisoner  brought  him  before  the  first 
lieutenant  of  the  Chateaugay.  He  appeared  to 
have  got  control  of  his  temper,  and  offered  no 
further  resistance.  Mr.  Carlin  came  to  the  door, 
and  his  superior  directed  him  to  examine  all  hands 
forward,  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  they  were 
Confederates  or  otherwise.  He  gave  him  the 
shipping-list  to  assist  him. 

"  Are  you  an  American  citizen.  Captain  Saw- 
lock?"  asked  Mr.  Birdwing,  as  soon  as  the  third 
lieutenant  liad  departed  on  his  mission. 


82  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

"  I  am,"  replied  he  stiffly. 

"  Where  were  you  born  ?  " 

"  In  Pensacohi." 

"  Have  you  ever  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  to 
the  United  States  government?" 

"  No  ;  and  I  never  will ! "  protested  the  captain 
with  an  oath. 

"  I  must  inform  you,  Captain  Sawlock,  that  I  am 
directed  by  the  commander  of  the  United  States 
steamer  Chateaugay  to  take  possession  of  the 
Ionian,-  on  finding  sufficient  evidence  on  board 
that  she  is  engaged  in  an  illegal  voyage.  I  have 
no  doubt  in  regard  to  the  matter,  and  I  take  pos- 
session of  her  accordingly." 

"  It  is  an  outrage  !  "  howled  the  captain  with  a 
heavy  oath. 

"  You  can  settle  that  matter  with  the  courts.  I 
have  nothing  more  to  say,"  replied  Mr.  Birdwing  as 
he  rose  and  left  the  cabin,  followed  by  Christy  and 
the  detective. 

"  I  found  ten  heavy  guns  and  a  large  quantity 
of  ammunition  at  the  bottom  of  the  hold,"  reported 
Mr.  Carlin,  as  his  superior  appeared  on  deck,  and 
handed  back  the  shipping-list  of  the  vessel.  *•'  The 
three  engineers  appear  to  be  Englishmen,  and  so 


A   BOLD   PROPOSITION  83 

declare  themselves.  I  find  six  Americans  among 
the  crew,  wlio  are  provided  with  protections,  and 
they  all  desire  to  enlist  in  the  navy.  The  rest  of 
the  crew  are  of  all  nations." 

"  Let  the  six  men  Math  protections  man  the  first 
cntter.  You  will  remain  on  board  of  the  Ionian, 
Mr,  Carlin,  till  orders  come  to  you  from  the  cap- 
tain," said  the  first  lieutenant.  "  I  shall  now 
return  to  the  Chateaugay  to  report." 

Christy  decided  to  return  to  the  ship ;  but  the 
detective  wished  to  remain,  though  he  said  there 
was  nothing  more  for  him  to  do.  The  six  sailors 
who  wished  to  enter  the  navy  were  ordered  into 
the  boat,  two  of  the  regular  crew  remaining  in  it. 
The  recruits  were  good-looking  men,  and  they 
pulled  their  oars  as  though  they  had  already  served 
in  the  navy.  They  supposed  the  Ionian  was  really 
bouiid  to  Wilmington  ;  but  they  could  not  explain 
why  they  had  not  enlisted  at  Brooklyn  if  they 
desired  to  do  so.  The  first  lieutenant  went  on 
board  of  the  ship,  and  reported  to  the  captain. 

Mr.  Gwyndale  was  at  once  appointed  prize-mas- 
ter, with  Mr.  Tompers  as  his  executive  officer,  and 
sent  on  board  with  the  ten  seamen  who  had  been 
put  on  board  of  the  Chateaugay  expressly  for  this 


84  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

duty.  Several  pairs  of  handcuffs  were  sent  on 
board  of  the  Ionian,  for  the  first  lieutenant  appre- 
hended that  they  would  be  needed  to  keep  Captain 
Sawlock  and  his  mate  in  proper  subjection.  The 
papers  which  had  been  contained  in  the  tin  case 
were  intrusted  to  the  care  of  Mr.  Gwyndale,  with 
the  strictest  injunction  to  keep  them  safely,  and 
deliver  them  to  the  government  official  before  any 
of  the  Ionian  ship's  company  were  permitted  to 
land. 

The  cutters  returned  from  the  prize  with  all  the 
hands  who  had  been  sent  from  the  ship,  including 
Mr.  Gilfleur.  The  prize-master  had  a  sufficient 
force  with  him  to  handle  the  steamer,  and  to  con- 
trol the  disaffected,  if  there  were  any  besides  the 
captain  and  mate.  The  engineers  and  firemen 
were  willing  to  remain  and  do  duty  as  long  as  they 
were  paid.  In  a  couple  of  hours  the  Ionian  started 
her  screw  and  headed  for  New  York,  where  she 
would  arrive  the  next  day. 

Captain  Chantor  directed  the  quartermaster  at 
the  wheel  to  ring  one  bell,  and  the  Chateaugay 
began  to  move  again.  The  events  of  the  day  were 
discussed  ;  but  the  first  business  of  the  ship  liad 
been  successfully  disposed  of,  and  tlie-  future  was 


A  BOLD   PROPOSITION  85 

a  more  inviting  field  than  the  past.  The  captain 
requested  the  presence  of  the  two  passengers  in 
his  cabin,  and  read  to  them  in  full  the  latest 
instructions  that  had  been  sent  off  to  him. 

"Our  next  duty  is  to  look  for  the  Dornoch, 
with  her  six  guns  and  fifty  men,  and  we  are  not 
likely  to  have  so  soft  a  time  of  it  as  we  had  with 
the  Ionian,"  said  Captain  Chantor,  when  he  had 
read  the  letter. 

"  The  Chateaugay  is  reasonably  fast,  though  slie 
could  not  hold  her  own  with  the  Bellevite,  or  even 
the  Bronx  ;  and  you  have  a  pivot  gun  amidships, 
and  six  broadside  guns,"  added  Christy. 

"  Oh,  I  shall  be  happy  to  meet  her  !  "  exclaimed 
the  commander.  "  I  don't  object  to  her  six  guns 
and  fifty  men  ;  the  only  difficulty  I  can  see  is  in 
finding  her.  I  am  afraid  she  has  ah^eady  gone 
into  St.  George's  harbor,  and  she  may  not  come 
out  for  a  month." 

"  Why  should  she  wait  all  that  time  ?  "  asked 
Christy.  "  Her  commander  knew  nothing  about 
the  Ionian,  that  she  was  to  take  in  a  valuable 
cargo  for  her,  and  she  will  not  wait  for  her." 

"  That  is  true ;  but  I  am  afraid  we  shall  miss 
the  Ovidio  if  we  remain  too  long  in  these  waters." 


86  FIGIITING    FOR    THE   RIGHT 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  the  Dornoch  has  had  time 
enough  to  reach  the  Bermudas,"  said  Christy. 
"  Possibly  slie  is  in  port  at  this  moment." 

"  That  is  a  harassing  reflection  !  "  exclaimed 
the  commander. 

"  I  don't  see  that  there  is  any  hel^D  for  it," 
added  Christy.  "  You  cannot  go  into  the  port  of 
St.  George's  to  see  if  she  is  there." 

"  Why  not  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Gilfleur,  speaking  for 
the  first  time.  "  I  spent  a  winter  there  when  I 
was  sick  from  over-work  and  exj^osure ;  and  I 
know  all  about  the  islands." 

"  Tliat  will  not  help  me,  Mr.  Gilfleur,"  said  the 
captain,  with  a  smile  at  what  he  considered  the 
simplicity  of  the  Frenchman. 

"  But  why  can  you  not  go  in  and  see  if  the 
Dornoch  is  there  ?  "  inquired  the  detective. 

"  Because  if  I  learned  that  she  was  about  to 
leave  the  port,  the  authorities  would  not  let 
me  sail  till  twenty-four  hours  after  she  had 
gone." 

"You  need  not  wait  till  she  gets  ready  to  leave," 
suggested  the  Frenchmaji. 

"  She  might  be  ready  to  sail  at  the  very  time 
I  arrived,  and  then  I  should  lose  her.     Oh,  no ;  I 


A   BOLD    PROrOSITION  87 

prefer  to  take  my  cliance  at  a  marine  league 
from  the  shore,"  added  the  captain,  shaking  his 
liead. 

"  Perhaps  I  might  go  into  Hamilton  harbor  and 
obtain  the  information  you  need,"  suggested  Mr. 
Gilfleur,  looking  very  earnest,  as  though  he  was 
thinkinof  of  somethinof. 

"  You  !  "  exclaimed  Captain  Chan  tor,  looking 
at  him  with  amazement.  "  How  could  you  go  in 
without  going  in  the  ship?  " 

"You  know  that  I  have  a  boat  on  deck,"  replied 
the  detective  quietly. 

"  But  you  are  not  a  sailor,  sir." 

"No,  I  am  not  a  sailor;  but  I  am  a  boatman. 
After  I  had  worked  up  the  biggest  case  in  all  my 
,  life  in  Paris,  —  one  that  required  me  to  go  to  Lon- 
don •  seven  times,  —  I  was  sick  v/hen  the  bank- 
robbers  were  convicted,  and  the  excitement  was 
over.  The  doctors  ordered  me  to  spend  the  winter 
in  Martinique,  and  I  went  to  the  Bermudas  in  an 
English  steamer,  where  I  was  to  take  another  for 
my  destination ;  but  I  liked  the  islands  so  well 
that  I  remained  there  all  the  winter.  My  princi- 
pal amusement  was  boating ;  and  I  learned  the 
whole  art  to  perfection.     I  used  to  go  through  the 


bo  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

openings  in  the  reefs,  and  sail  out  of  siglit  of  lantl. 
I  had  a  boat  like  the  one  on  deck." 

"  Your  experience  is  interesting,  but  I  do  not 
see  how  it  will  profit  me,"  said  the  captain. 

"  I  can  go  to  the  Bermudas,  obtain  the  informa- 
tion you  want,  and  return  to  the  Chateaugay," 
replied  Mr.  Gilfleur  rather  impatiently. 

"  That  would  be  a  risky  cruise  for  you,  my 
friend,"  suggested  Captain  Chantor,  shaking  his 
head  in  a  deprecatory  manner. 

"  I  don't  think  so.  I  have  been  outside  the 
reefs  many  times  when  the  wind  blew  a  gale,  and 
I  felt  as  safe  in  my  boat  as  I  do  on  board  of  this 
ship,"  said  the  detective  earnestly. 

"  How  would  you  manage  the  matter  ?  "  asked 
the  commander,  beginning  to  be  interested  in  the 
project. 

"  You  shall  run  to  the  south  of  the  islands,  or 
rather  to  the  south-west,  in  the  night,  with  all 
your  lights  put  out,  and  let  me  embark  there  in 
my  boat.  You  will  give  me  a  compass,  and  I  have 
a  sail  in  the  boat.  I  shall  steer  to  the  north-east, 
and  I  shall  soon  see  Gibbs  Hill  light.  By  that  I 
can  make  the  point  on  the  coast  I  wish  to  reach, 
which  is  Hogfish  Cut.     I  have  been   through  it 


A   BOLD   PROPOSITION  89 

twenty  times.  Once  inside  the  reefs  I  shall  have 
no  difficulty  in  reaching  Hamilton  harbor.  Then 
I  will  take  a  carriafje  to  St.  Georgre's.  If  I  find 
the  Dornoch  in  the  harbor,  I  will  come  out  the 
same  way  I  went  in,  and  you  will  pick  me  up."  - 

"  That  looks  more  practicable  than  I  supposed 
it  could  be,"  added  Captain  Chantor. 

"  While  I  am  absent  you  will  be  attending  to 
your  duty  as  commander  of  the  Chateaugay,  for 
you  will  still  be  on  the  lookout  for  your  prize," 
continued  the  versatile  Frenchman.  "  You  can 
run  up  twenty  or  thirty  miles  to  the  northward, 
on  the  east  side  of  the  islands,  where  all  large 
vessels  have  to  go  in." 

"  How  long  will  it  take  you  to  carry  out  this 
enterprise,  Mr.  Gilfleur  ?  " 

"  Not  more  than  two  days ;  perhaps  less  time. 
Do  you  consent  ?  " 

"  I  will  consider  it,  and  give  you  an  answer 
to-morrow  morning,"  replied  Captain  Chantor. 

"  Won't  you  take  me  with  you,  Mr.  Gilfleur  ?  " 
asked  Christy,  who  was  much  pleased  with  the 
idea  of  such  an  excursion, 

"I  should  be  very  happy  to  have  your  company, 
Mr,  Passford,"  replied  the  detective  very  promptly, 


90  FIGHTING   FOPt   THE   EIGHT 

and  witli  a  smile  on  his  face  whicli  revealed  his 
own  satisfaction. 

"  Are  you  in  earnest,  Lieutenant  Passford  ? " 
demanded  the  commander,  looking  with  astonish- 
ment at  his  passenger. 

"  Of  course  I  am :  I  see  no  difficulty  in  the 
enterprise,"  replied  Christy.  "  I  have  had  a  good 
deal  of  experience  in  sailboats  myself,  and  I  do 
not  believe  I  should  be  an  encumbrance  to  Mr. 
Gilfleur ;  and  I  may  be  of  some  service  to  him." 

"  You  would  be  of  very  great  service  to  me,  for 
you  know  all  about  shi^os,  and  I  do  not,"  the 
detective  added. 

"  Just  as  you  please,  IMr.  Passford.  You  are 
not  under  my  orders,  for  you  are  not  attached  to 
the  ship,"  said  the  captain. 

The  commander  went  on  deck,  and  the  two  pas- 
sengers retired  to  Christy's  stateroom,  where  they 
discussed  the  enterprise  for  a  couple  of  hours.  In 
the  mean  time  the  Chateangay  was  making  her 
best  speed,  for  Captain  Chantor  did  not  wish  to 
lose  any  of  his  chances  by  being  too  late  ;  and  he 
believed  that  the  Dornoch  must  be  fully  due  at 
the  Bermudas.  Before  he  turned  in  that  night  lie 
had  altered  the   course  of  the  ship  half   a  point 


A   BOLD   PEOrOSITION  01 

more  to  the  southward,  for  he  had  decided  to 
accept  the  offer  of  Mr.  Gilfleur ;  and  he  wished  to 
go  to  the  west  of  the  islands  instead  of  the  east,  as 
he  had  given  out  the  course  at  noon. 

For  two  days  more  the  Chateaugay  continued 
on  her  voyage.  At  noon  the  second  day  he  found 
his  ship  was  directly  west  of  the  southern  part  of 
the  Bermudas,  and  but  fifty  miles  from  them.  He 
shaped  his  course  so  as  to  he  at  the  south  of  them 
that  niirht. 


92  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 


CHAPTER    VIII 

A   NOTABLE    EXPEDITION 

The  position  of  tlie  Chateaugay  was  accurately 
laid  down  on  the  chart  fifty  miles  to  the  westward 
of  Spears  Hill,  which  is  about  the  geographical 
centre  of  the  Bermuda  Islands.  Captain  Chantor 
had  invited  his  two  passengers  to  his  cabin  for  a 
conference  in  relation  to  the  proposed  enterprise, 
after  the  observations  had  been  worked  up  at  noon, 
on  the  fourth  day  after  the  departure  from  New 
York. 

"Now,  Mr.  Gilfleur,  if  you  will  indicate  the 
precise  point  at  which  you  desire  to  put  off  in 
your  boat,  I  will  have  the  ship  there  at  the  time 
you  require,"  said  the  captain,  who  had  drawn  a 
rough  sketch  of  the  islands,  and  dotted  upon  it  the 
points  he  mentioned  in  his  statement. 

"  Of  course  you  do  not  wish  the  ship  to  be  seen 
from  the  islands,"  suggested  the  detective. 

"  Certainly  not;  for  if  the  Dornoch  is  in  port  at  St. 


A    NOTABLE   EXPEDITION  93 

George's  that  would  be  warning  her  to  avoid  us  in 
coming  out,  and  she  might  escape  by  standing  off  to 
the  northward,"  replied  the  commander.  "Besides, 
there  might  be  fishing-craft  or  other  small  vessels 
off  the  island  that  would  report  the  ship  if  she 
were  seen.  It  is  not  advisable  to  go  any  nearer  to 
the  islands  till  after  dark.  We  will  show  no 
lights  as  we  approach  your  destination." 

"  How  near  Gibbs  Hill  light  can  you  go  with 
safety  in  the  darkness,  Captain  ? "  asked  Mr. 
Gilfleur. 

"I  should  not  care  to  go  nearer  than  ten  miles  ; 
we  could  not  be  seen  from  the  shore  at  that  dis- 
tance, but  we  might  be  seen  by  some  small  craft." 

"  That  will  do  very  well ;  and  if  you  will  make 
a  point  ten  miles  south-west  of  Gibbs  Hills  light, 
I  shall  be  exactly  suited,"  added  the  detective,  as 
he  made  a  small  cross  on  the  sketch  near  the  place 
where  he  desired  to  embark  in  the  boat. 

The  conference  was  finished,  and  the  two  pas- 
sengers went  on  deck  to  inspect  the  craft  which 
was  to  convey  them  to  the  islands.  By  order  of 
the  commander  the  carpenter  had  overhauled  the 
boat  and  made  such  repairs  as  were  needed.  Every 
open  seam  had  been  calked,  and  a  heavy  coat  of 


94  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

paint  had  been  put  upon  it.  The  sailmaker  had 
attended  to  the  jib  and  mainsail,  and  everything 
was  in  excellent  condition  for  the  trip  to  the 
shore. 

"  Is  this  the  same  boat  that  you  used  when  you 
were  in  the  Bermudas,  Mr.  Gilfleur  ? "  asked 
Christy,  as  they  were  examining  the  work  which 
had  been  done  on  the  craft,  its  spars  and  sails. 

"  Oh,  no  ;  it  was  six  years  ago  that  I  spent  the 
winter  in  the  islands.  I-  found  this  boat  under  a 
shed  on  a  wharf  in  New  York.  It  had  been  picked 
up  near  the  Great  Abaco  in  the  Bahama  Islands 
by  a  three-master,  on  her  voyage  from  the  West 
Indies,"  replied  Mr.  Gilfleur.  "When  I  had 
formed  my  plan  of  operations  in  the  vicinity  of 
Nassau,  in  order  to  obtain  the  information  the 
government  desired,  I  bought  this  boat.  When 
picked  up,  the  boat  had  her  spars,  sails,  oars,  water- 
breakers,  and  other  articles  carefully  stowed  away 
on  board  of  her ;  and  it  appeared  as  though  she 
liad  broken  adrift  from  her  moorings,  or  had  been 
carried  away  by  a  rising  tide  from  some  beach 
where  those  in  charge  of  her  had  landed.  I  hap- 
pened to  find  the  captain  of  the  vessel  that 
brought  the  boat  to  New  York  ;  and  he  made  me 


A   NOTABLE   EXPEDITION  95 

pay  roundly  for  lier,  so  that  he  got  well  rewarded 
for  his  trouble  in  picking  it  up." 

The  Chateaugay  stood  due  south  till  six  o'clock 
at  little  more  than  half  speed,  and  when  she  came 
about  her  dead  reckoning  indicated  that  she  was 
seventy-five  miles  to  the  south-west  of  Gibbs  Hill 
light.  The  weather  was  very  favorable  for  the 
proposed  enterprise,  with  a  moderate  breeze  from 
the  west.  Mr.  Gilfleur  did  not  wish  to  leave  the 
ship  till  after  midnight,  for  all  he  desired  was  to 
get  inside  the  outer  reefs  before  daylight.  The 
speed  of  the  ship  was  regulated  to  carry  out  this 
idea. 

The  light  so  frequently  mentioned  in  the  con- 
ference is  three  hundred  and  sixty-two  feet  above 
the  sea  level,  for  it  is  built  on  the  highest  point  of 
land  in-  the  south  of  the  Bermudas,  and  could  be 
seen  at  a  distance  of  thirty  miles.  At  three  bells 
in  the  first  watch  the  light  was  reported  by  the 
lookout,  and  the  speed  was  reduced  somewhat. 

About  this  time  the  detective  came  out  of  his 
stateroom,  and  entered  that  of  Christy.  He  had 
smeared  his  face  with  a  brownish  tint,  which  made 
him  look  as  though  he  had  been  long  exposed  to 
the  sun  of  the  tropics.     He  was  dressed  in  a  suit 


96  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

of  coarse  material,  though  it  was  not  the  garb  of 
a  sailor.  He  had  used  the  scissors  on  his  long 
black  mustache,  and  given  it  a  snarly  and  un- 
kempt appearance.  Christy  would  not  have  known 
him  if  he  had  met  him  on  shore. 

"  You  look  like  another  man,"  said  he,  laugliing. 

"A  French  detective  has  to  learn  the  art  of 
disguising  himself  ;  in  fact,  he  has  to  be  an  actor. 
Perhaps  you  will  not  be  willing  to  believe  it,  but 
I  have  played  small  parts  at  the  Theatre  Fran^ais 
for  over  a  year,  more  to  learn  the  actor's  art  of 
making  himself  up  than  because  I  had  any  histri- 
onic aspirations.  I  have  worked  up  a  case  in  the 
capacity  of  an  old  man  of  eighty  years  of  age," 
the  detective  explained.  "  When  I  recovered  the 
property  of  your  father,  stolen  at  Havre,  I  played 
the  part  of  a  dandy,  and  won  the  confidence  of 
the  stewardess,  though  I  came  very  near  having  to 
fight  a  duel  with  the  voleur  who  was  her  '  pal '  in 
the  robbery." 

"  Of  course  it  will  not  do  for  me  to  wear  my 
lieutenant's  uniform,"  suggested  Christy. 

"Not  unless  you  wish  to  have  your  head  broken 
by  the  crews  of  the  blockade-runners  you  will  find 
at  St.  George's,"  replied  the  Frenchman  signifi- 
cantly. 


A   NOTABLE   EXPEDITION  97 

"  I  have  some  old  clothes  in  my  valise,"  added 
the  lieutenant. 

"  I  don't  like  the  idea  of  putting  you  in  a 
humiliating  position,  Mr.  Passford,  but  I  have  not 
told  you  all  my  plans." 

"  I  will  take  any  position  you  assign  to  me,  for 
I  am  now  to  be  a  volunteer  in  your  service." 

"I  intend  to  represent  myself  as  a  French 
gentleman  of  wealth,  who  has  passed  the  winter  in 
the  Bahama  Islands  in  search  of  health,  and  found 
it  in  abundance,"  said  Mr.  Gilfleur,  with  a  pleas- 
ant smile  on  his  face,  as  though  he  really  enjoyed 
the  business  in  which  he  was  at  present  engaged. 

"  Have  you  ever  been  in  the  Bahamas  ?  "  asked 
Christy. 

"All  through  them,  including  Nassau.  If  I 
had  not,  I  should  not  have  brought  that  boat  with 
me.  I  made  a  trip  in  an  English  steamer  from  the 
Bermudas,  which  had  occasion  to  visit  nearly  all 
the  islands  ;  and  I  passed  about  two  months  of  my 
stay  in  this  region  on  that  cruise,"  replied  the 
detective. 

"  But  how  far  is  it  from  the  Bermudas  to  the 
nearest  point  in  the  Bahamas  ?  Will  people 
believe  that  we  came  even  from  the  Great  Abaco 


98  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   EIGHT 

in  an  open  boat?"  inquired  Christy.  "What  is 
the  distance  ?  " 

"  I  estimate  it  at  about  seven  hundred  and  fifty- 
miles.  That  is  nothing  for  a  boat  like  mine, 
though  I  should  not  care  to  undertake  it  in  the 
hurricane  season,"  replied  Mr.  Gilfleur.  "  By  the 
way,  we  must  borrow  some  charts  of  this  region 
from  the  captain,  though  only  to  keep  up  appear- 
ances." 

"  You  have  not  told  me  in  what  character  I  am 
to  be  your  companion,"  suggested  Christy. 

"  As  ray  servant,  if  you  do  not  rebel  at  the 
humiliation  of  such  a  position,  though  I  promise 
to  treat  you  very  kindly,  and  with  all  proper  con- 
sideration," laughed  the  Frenchman. 

"  I  have  not  the  slightest  objection  to  the 
character;  and  I  will  endeavor  to  discharge  my 
duties  with  humility  and  deference,"  responded 
the  lieutenant  in  the  same  vein. 

"  Now  let  me  see  what  sort  of  a  suit  you  have 
for  your  part,"  added  the  detective. 

Christy  took  from  his  valise  a  suit  he  had  worn 
as  a  subordinate  officer  when  he  was  engaged  in 
the  capture  of  the  Teaser.  It  was  approved  by 
his  companion,  and  he  dressed  himself  in  this 
garb. 


A   NOTABLE   EXPEDITION"  99 

''  But  you  have  been  bleached  out  by  your  long 
3tay  at  Bonnydale,  and  your  complexion  needs  a 
little  improvement,"  said  Mr.  Gilfleur,  as  he  went 
to  his  room  for  his  tints. 

On  his  return  he  gave  to  the  face  of  the  officer 
the  same  sun-browned  hue  he  had  imparted  to  his 
own.  While  he  was  so  employed,  he  explained 
that  the  tint  was  a  fast  color  under  ordinary 
circumstances,  and  in  what  manner  it  could  be 
easily  removed,  though  it  would  wear  off  in  about 
a  week. 

"Now,  you  need  only  a  little  touching  up," 
continued  the  detective,  when  he  had  completed 
the  dyeing  process.  "  You  will  be  amazed  at  the 
change  produced  in  the  expression  of  a  person  by 
a  few  touches  of  paint  skilfully  applied,"  and  he 
proceeded  to  make  the  alteration  proposed. 

W.hen  he  had  finished  his  work,  Christy  looked 
in  the  glass,  and  declared  that  he  should  hardly 
know  himself.  The  preparations  were  completed, 
and  the  French  gentleman  and  his  servant  were 
ready  to  embark.  But  it  was  only  eleven  o'clock, 
and  both  of  them  turned  in  for  a  nap  of  a  couple 
of  hours.  The  captain  had  retired  early  in  the 
evening,  and  the  quartermaster  conning  the  wheel 


100  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   EIGHT 

was  steering  for  the  light,  the  Chateaugay  making 
not  more  than  six  knots  an  hour. 

At  one  o'clock  the  commander  was  called,  in 
accordance  with  his  order  to  the  officer  of  the 
watch.  He  went  on  deck  at  once,  had  the  log 
slate  brought  to  him,  and  made  some  calculations, 
which  resulted  in  an  order  to  ring  two  bells,  which 
meant  "  Stop  her."  Then  he  went  to  the  ward 
room  himself,  and  knocked  at  the  doors  of  his  two 
passengers.  Mr.  Gilfleur  and  Christy  sprang  from 
their  berths,  and  the  two  doors  were  opened  at 
once.  No  toilet  was  necessary,  for  both  of  them 
had  lain  down  with  their  clothes  on. 

"  Pray,  who  might  you  be  ? "  demanded  the 
captain,  laughing  heartily  when  the  detective 
showed  himself  in  his  new  visage  and  di'ess. 
"  Can  3^ou  inform  me  what  has  become  of  Mr.- 
Gilfleur  ?  " 

"  He  has  stepped  out  for  a  couple  of  days,  and 
Monsieur  Rubempre  has  taken  his  place,"  replied 
the  detective. 

"  And  who  is  this  gentleman  ?  "  asked  Captain 
Chantor,  turning  to  his  other  passenger,  who  was 
quite  as  much  changed  in  appearance. 

"  Contrary  to   his   usual   custom,  he   does   not 


A   NOTABLE   EXPEDITION  101 

claim  to  be  a  gentleman  just  now.  This  is 
Christoplie,  my  servant,  employed  as  such  only  for 
a  couple  of  days,"  answered  Monsieur  Rubemprd. 

"  All  right,  Mr.  Rubumper  !  Three  bells  have 
just  been  struck,  and  the  watch  are  putting  your 
boat  into  the  water,"  continued  the  commander. 
"  I  have  directed  the  steward  to  fill  your  breaker 
with  water,  and  put  a  small  supply  of  provisions 
into  the  craft.  We  shall  be  ready  for  you  in  about 
half  an  hour." 

"  We  are  all  ready  at  this  moment,"  replied 
Monsieur  Rubempr^ ;  for  both  of  the  passengers 
had  agreed  to  call  each  other  by  their  assumed 
names  at  once,  so  as  to  get  accustomed  to  them, 
and  thus  avoid  committing  themselves  in  any 
moment  of  excitement. 

The  detective  came  out  of  his  room  with  a  valise 
in  his  hand,  which  he  had  packed  with  extreme 
care,  so  that  nothing  sliould  be  found  in  it,  in  case 
of  accident,  to  compromise  him.  He  had  super- 
intended the  placing  of  Cluisty's  clothing  in  one 
of  his  valises.  He  objected  to  the  initials,  "  C.  P.," 
worked  on  his  linen  ;  but  the  OAvner  had  no  other, 
and  the  difficulty  was  compromised  by  writing  the 
name  of   "  Christophe   Poireau"   on  a   number  of 


102  FIGHTING   FOE   THE   EIGHT 

pieces  of  paper  and  cards,  and   attaching   a   tag 
with  this  name  upon  it  to  the  handle. 

Both  of  them  put  on  plain  overcoats,  and  went 
on  deck,  where  the  boat,  which  had  the  name  of 
Eleuthera  painted  on  the  stern,  had  already  been 
committed  to  the  waves. 


THE  FEENCHMAN   IN    BERMUDA  103 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE   FRENCHMAN   IN   BERMUDA 

"Bon  VOYAGE,  Mr.  Rubumper,"  said  Captain 
Chantor,  as  the  Frenchman  was  about  to  descend 
the  accommodation  ladder.  "  I  know  French 
enough  to  say  that." 

"  Thank  you,  Captain." 

"  I  hope  you  will  make  a  success  of  the  enter- 
prise, Mr.  Passford,"  the  commander  added  to  the 
other  member  of  the  expedition. 

"  I  shall  do  the  best  I  can  to  make  it  so," 
answered  Cliristy,  as  he  followed  his  companion 
down  the  accommodation  ladder. 

The  detective  shoved  the  boat  off,  and  both  of 
the  voyagers  took  the  oars  to  get  the  craft  clear 
of  the  ship,  which  was  accomplished  in  a  few  min- 
tites.  Then  the  Frenchman  stepped  the  mast, 
which  had  been  carefully  adjusted  on  board  of  the 
ship,  while  Christy  rigged  out  the  shifting  bow- 
sprit.    In  half  an  hour  they  had  placed  the  spars 


104  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

and  bent  on  the  sail,  for  everything  had  been  pre- 
pared for  expeditious  work.  The  sails  filled,  and 
the  skipper  took  his  place  at  the  long  tiller. 

"  We  are  all  right  now,  Christophe,"  said  the 
detective. 

"  I  should  say  that  we  were.  Monsieur  Rubem- 
pr^,"  replied  the  acting  servant.  "  We  have  ten 
miles  to  make :  with  this  breeze,  how  long  will  it 
take  for  this  boat  to  do  it  ?  " 

"  If  she  sails  as  well  as  mine  did,  she  will  make 
it  in  two  hours." 

The  craft  was  about  twenty  feet  long,  and  was 
sharp  at  both  ends.  She  had  a  cuddy  forward, 
which  was  large  enough  to  accommodate  both  of 
her  crew  in  a  reclining  posture.  It  had  been  fur- 
nished with  a  couple  of  berthsacks,  and  with  sev- 
eral blankets.  The  provisions  and  water  had  been 
placed  in  it,  as  well  as  a  couple  of  lanterns,  ready 
for  use  if  occasion  should  require. 

It  was  a  summer  sea  in  this  latitude,  with  a  very 
steady  breeze  from  the  westward.  The  overcoats 
they  wore  were  hardly  necessary,  and  they  had  put 
them  on  mainly  to  conceal  their  changed  garments 
from  the  crew  of  the  ship,  who  could  only  con- 
jecture what  the  expedition  meant. 


THE   FRENCHMAN    IN   BERMUDA  105 

"  You  are  a  younger  man  than  I  am,  Christophe, 
and  you  liave  slept  only  a  couple  of  hours  to- 
night," said  M.  Rubempre,  as  soon  as  the  Eleu- 
thera  was  well  under  way  ;  and  the  remark  was 
called  forth  by  a  long  gape  on  the  part  of  the 
younger  person.  "  You  can  turn  in  and  sleep  a 
couple  of  hours  more  just  as  well  as  not,  for  there 
is  nothing  whatever  for  you  to  do.  We  may  have 
to  make  a  long  day  of  it  to-morrow." 

"  I  am  accustomed  to  doing  without  my  sleep  at 
times,"  replied  Christophe,  which  was  his  first 
name,  according  to  the  French  orthography,  and 
was  pronounced  in  two  syllables. 

"  Of  course  you  have,  when  your  duty  required 
you  to  be  on  deck ;  but  there  is  not  the  least  need 
of  doing  so  now." 

The  lieutenant  complied  with  the  advice  of  the 
skipper,  and  in  five  minutes  more  he  was  sound 
asleep.  The  Bahama  boat,  with  a  Bahama  name, 
rose  and  fell  on  the  long  rolling  seas,  which  were 
very  gentle  in  their  motion,  and  made  very  good 
progress  through  the  water.  The  light  could  be 
plainly  seen  in  its  lofty  position,  and  the  detective 
steered  for  it  over  an  hour,  and  then  kept  it  a  lit- 
tle on  the  starboard  hand ;  for  the  opening  in  the 


106  FIGHTING   FOR   THE    EIGHT 

outer  reef  through  which  he  intended  to  pass  was 
two  miles  to  the  westward  of  the  high  tower.  He 
had  correctly  estimated  the  speed  of  the  boat,  for 
the  faint  light  of  the  dawn  of  day  began  to  appear 
in  the  east  when  he  was  able  clearly  to  discern  the 
outline  of  the  hills  on  the  most  southern  of  the 
islands. 

Although  it  was  still  quite  dark,  the  Frenchman 
continued  on  his  course  very  confidently.  The 
reefs  extended  out  two  miles  from  the  main  shore ; 
but  the  navigator  was  so  familiar  with  the  locality 
that  they  did  not  trouble  him.  Bearing  about 
north-west  from  the  light  was  Wreck  Hill,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  high,  Avhich  assisted  him  in 
keeping  his  course.  As  he  approached  the  main- 
land he  made  out  the  fort,  and  steering  chrectly 
for  it,  passed  safely  through  Hogfish  Cut. 

When  he  was  within  half  a  mile  of  this  fort,  he 
headed  the  boat  to  the  north-west.  It  was  still 
eighteen  miles  to  Hamilton,  the  capital  of  the 
islands  ;  but  he  had  a  fair  wind,  and  the  boat  made 
about  five  miles  an  hour.  Christy  still  slept,  and 
the  skipper  did  not  wake  him.  It  was  daylight 
when  he  was  abreast  of  Wreck  Hill,  and  there  was 
no  further  difficulty  in  the    navigation.     It   was 


THE    FRENCHMAN    IN    BERMUDA  107 

half-past  eight  when  he  ran  up  to  a  pier  where  he 
had  kept  his  hoat  in  former  days.  There  were 
plenty  of  just  such  crafts  as  the  Eleuthera,  and  no 
attention  was  paid  to  her  as  she  passed  along  the 
Front-street  docks.  The  pier  at  which  he  made 
his  landing  was  in  a  retired  locality.  He  lowered 
the  sails,  and  had  made  everything  snug  on  board 
before  he  called  his  companion. 

"  Half-past  eight,  Chris tophe,"  said  he  at  the 
door  of  the  cuddy. 

"Half-past  eight!"  exclaimed  Christy,  spring- 
ing out  of  his  berth  on  the  floor.  "  Where  are  we 
now,  M.  Rubempre  ?  " 

"  We  are  in  Hamilton  harbor ;  and  if  you  will 
come  out  of  the  cuddy,  you  will  find  yourself  in 
the  midst  of  flowers  and  green  trees,"  replied  the 
skipper  with  a  smile. 

"  I  must  have  slept  six  hours,"  said  Christy,  rub- 
bing his  eyes  as  he  crawled  out  of  the  cuddy. 

The  scenery  around  him  was  certainly  very 
beautiful,  and  he  gazed  upon  At  in  silence  for  a 
few  minutes.  It  seemed  to  him  just  as  though  he 
had  waked  in  fairyland.  He  had  cruised  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  islands,  but  he  had  never  been  very 
near  the  shore  before.     Though  he  had  been  in 


108  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   FIGHT 

Alabama,  and  seen  the  shores  of  the  Gulf  States, 
he  had  never  beheld  any  region  that  seemed  so 
lovely  to  him.  He  had  been  on  shore  at  Nassau, 
but  only  on  the  wharves,  and  had  hardly  seen  the 
beauties  of  the  island. 

"Why  didn't  you  call  me  before,  M.  Ru- 
bempr^?"  asked  he,  when  he  had  taken  in  the 
view  from  the  pier. 

"Because  I  thought  your  sleep  would  do  you 
more  good  than  the  view  of  the  shore,  which  you 
will  have  plenty  of  opportunities  to  see  before  we 
leave,"  replied  the  detective.  "But  we  must  be- 
gin our  work,  for  we  have  no  time  to  lose.  I 
arranged  with  Captain  Chantor  to  pick  us  up 
to-morrow  night  at  about  the  point  where  we 
embarked  in  tlie  boat.  In  the  mean  time  he  will 
sail  around  the  islands,  though  the  Chateaugay 
will  not  come  near  enough  to  be  seen  from  the 
shore." 

"  What  will  you  do  with  the  boat  while  we  are 
absent?" 

"  Leave  it  where  it  is." 

While  they  were  talking,  an  old  negro  came  down 
the  pier,  and  very  politely  saluted  the  strangers. 
He  appeared  to  come  from  a  small  house. a  short 


THE   FRENCHMAN   IN   BERMUDA  109 

distance  from  the  shore,  and  passed  along  to  a  boat 
which  lay  near  the  Eleuthera. 

"  Is  that  your  boat  ?  "  asked  the  detective,  call- 
ing liim  back. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  I  am  a  fisherman,  though  I've  go't 
the  rheumatism,  and  don't  go  out  much;  but  I 
have  to  go  to-day,  for  we  have  nothing  to  eat  in 
the  house,"  replied  the  negro,  whose  language  was 
very  good. 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  " 

"Joseph,  sir." 

"  Do  you  speak  French  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no,  sir !  "  exclaimed  Joseph.  "  I  don't 
speak  anything  but  plain  English  ;  but  I  used  to 
work  sometimes  for  a  French  gentleman  that  kept 
a  boatat  this  pier,  six  or  seven  years  ago." 

"  What  was  his  name  ? "  asked  the  detective, 
who  had  had  a  suspicion  from  the  first  that  he 
knew  the  man,  though  he  had  changed  a  great  deal 
as  he  grew  older. 

"  Mounseer  Gillflower,"  replied  Joseph  ;  "  and 
he  was  very  kind  to  me." 

"  I  am  a  Frenchman,  Joseph ;  and,  if  you  don't 
want  to  go  fishing,  I  will  employ  you  to  take  care  of 
my  boat,  and  carry  my  valise  to  a  hotel,"  continued 


110  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

the  detective,  as  he  handed  an  English  sovereign 
to  liim,  for  he  had  taken  care  to  provide  himself 
with  a  store  of  them  in  New  York. 

"Thank  you,  sir;  but  I  can't  change  this  piece." 
protested  Joseph  very  sadly. 

"  I  donJ,t  want  you  to  change  it ;  keep  the  whol§ 
of  it." 

"  God  bless  you  forever  and  ever,  Mounseer!" 
exclaimed  the  fisherman.  "  I  haven't  had  a  sover- 
eign before  since  Mounseer  Gillflower  was  here.  I 
am  a  very  poor  man,  and  I  can't  get  any  work  on 
shore." 

Probably,  like  the  rest  of  his  class,  he  was  not  in- 
clined to  work  while  he  had  any  money.  He 
promised  to  take  good  care  of  the  Eleuthera,  and 
he  asked  no  troublesome  questions.  The  detective 
gave  his  name,  and  ordered  Christophe,  calling 
him  by  his  name,  to  bring  the  valises  on  shore. 
Then  the  Frenchman  locked  the  door  of  the  cuddy, 
for  they  left  their  overcoats  there,  as  they  had  no 
use  for  them. 

"  To  what  hotel  shall  I  carry  the  valises?  "  asked 
Joseph. 

"  To  the  Atlantic  ;  that  will  be  the  most  conven- 
ient for  us.  Do  you  know  anything  about  these 
vessels  in  the  liarbor,  Joseph?  " 


THE   FRENCHMAN  IN   BEEMIJDA  111 

"  Not  much,  Mounseer  Roobump  ;  but  they  say 
the  two  steamers  near  the  island  are  going  to  run 
tlie  blockade  into  the  States  ;  but  I  don't  know. 
They  say  a  Confederate  man-of-war  came  into  St. 
George's  harbor  yesterday ;  but  I  haven't  seen  her, 
and  I  don't  know  whether  it's  true  or  not." 

"  What  is  her  name  ?  "  asked  the  detective,  who 
from  the  beginning  had  broken  up  his  English, 
and  imparted  a  strong  French  accent  to  it. 

"  I  did  not  hear  any  one  mention  her  name, 
Mounseer.  That  vessel  this  side  of  the  island  is 
the  mail  steamer  from  New  York  ;  she  got  in  yes- 
terday," continued  Joseph. 

"  That  is  important ;  if  the  Dornoch  is  the  Con- 
federate man-of-war  that  arrived  at  St.  George's 
yesterday,  this  steamer  brought  letters  from  Davis 
to  her  captain,"  said  the  Frenchman  to  Christy,  in 
French. 

"But  Davis  could  not  have  learned  that  the 
Ionian  had  been  captured  before  the  mail  steamer 
left  New  York,"  added  Christy,  in  the  same  lan- 
guage. 

"  No  matter  for  that,  Christophe.  I  did  not  re- 
sign my  place  at  Davis's  warehouse  till  the  morn- 
ing we  sailed ;  and  I  have  his  letter  to  the  captain 


112  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

of  the  Dornocli  with  my  other  papers  on  board  of 
the  Chateaugay,  and  I  know  that  was  the  only 
letter  written  to  him.  As  he  has  no  information 
in  regard  to  the  Ionian,  he  will  not  wait  for  her." 
"  I  remember  ;  you  showed  me  the  letter." 
Joseph  listened  with  a  show  of  wonder  on  his 
face  to  this  conversation  which  he  could  not  un- 
derstand. The  detective  directed  him  to  carry  the 
two  valises  to  the  hotel  named  ;  but  Christy  inter- 
posed in  French,  and  insisted  that  it  would  look 
better  for  him  to  carry  his  own  valise,  and  the 
point  was  yielded.  The  Atlantic  Hotel  was  on 
Front  Street,  the  harbor  being  on  one  side  of  it.  A 
couple  of  rooms  were  assigned  to  them,  one  of 
them  quite  small,  which  was  taken  by  Christy,  in 
order  to  keep  up  appearances. 

M.  Rubempr^  registered  his  name,  putting  "and 
servant "  after  it,  Paris,  and  spoke  even  worse 
English  than  he  had  used  to  Joseph.  Breakfast 
had  been  ordered,  but  Christy,  being  only  a  servant, 
had  to  take  his  meal  at  a  side  table.  The  detec- 
tive was  not  dressed  like  a  gentleman,  and  the 
landlord  seemed  to  have  some  doubts  about  his 
ability  to  pay  his  bills,  though  he  had  baggage. 
He  was  not  treated  with  anything  like  deference, 


THE  FRENCHMAN   IN  BERMUDA  113 

and  he  saw  the  difficulty.  After  breakfast  he  took 
a  handful  of  English  gold  from  his  pocket,  and 
asked  the  landlord  to  change  one  of  the  coins 
for  smaller  money.  Mine  host  bowed  low  to  him 
after  this  exhibition. 

"  I  want  to  see  the  American  consul,"  said  M. 
Rubempr^,  in  his  own  language. 

"  I  will  go  with  you,  but  I  think  I  will  not  sec 
him,  for  he  may  take  it  into  his  head  that  I  am  not 
a  Frenchman,"  added  Christy. 

"  You  can  come  with  me,  and  stay  outside." 

When  they  reached  the  consulate,  which  was  on 
the  same  street  as  the  hotel,  they  found  about  a 
dozen  sailors  in  front  of  the  building.  They  were 
a  very  rough  and  hard-looking  set  of  men.  They 
appeared  to  be  considerably  excited  about  some- 
thing, and  to  be  bent  on  violence  in  some  direction  ; 
but  the  strangers  could  make  nothing  of  the  talk 
they  heard,  though  "th^  bloody  spy"  was  an  ex- 
pression frequently  used. 


114  FIGHTING   FOE   THE  EIGHT 


CHAPTER   X 

IMPORTANT   rNFORIMATlON   OBTAINED 

Christy  walked  behind  the  detective  in  his 
capacity  as  servant.  It  was  soon  evident  to  them 
that  the  ruffians  gathered  in  the  street  meant 
mischief.  On  the  staff  over  their  heads  floated 
the  flag  of  the  United  States.  Though  Mr.  Gil- 
fieur  was  an  alien,  his  companion  was  not.  Of 
course  he  knew  that  the  islands  were  the  resort  of 
blockade-runners,  that  they  obtained  their  supplies 
from  the  two  towns  of  Hamilton  and  St.  George's. 
This  fact  seemed  to  explain  the  occasion  of  the 
disturbance  in  this  particular  locality. 

"  What  does  all  this  mean,  Christophe  ?  "  asked 
M.  Ruljempre,  falling  back  to  join  Christy  at  the 
door  of  the  consulate. 

"  I  should  judge  that  these  ruffians  intended  to 
do  violence  to  the  American  consul,"  replied 
Christy.  "I  heard  in  New  York  that  he  was 
faithful  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty  to  his  govern- 


IMPORTANT    DSfFORMATION    OBTAINED        115 

ment,  and  doubtless  lie  has  excited  the  indignation 
of  these  ruffians  by  his  fidelity.  His  principal 
business  is  to  follow  up  the  enforcement  of  the 
neutrality  laws,  which  compels  him  to  watch  these 
blockade-runners,  and  vessels  of  war  intended  for 
the  Confederate  States." 

"  That  was  my  own  conclusion,"  added  the 
Frenchman,  speaking  his  own  language,  as  usual. 
"  I  should  say  that  his  position  is  not  a  pleasant 
one." 

"Here  comes  the  bloody  spy  !  "  shouted  several 
of  the  ruffians. 

Looking  down  the  street,  they  saw  a  dignified- 
looking  gentleman  approaching,  whom  they  sup- 
posed to  be  the  consul,  Mr.  Alwayn.  He  did  not 
seem  to  be  alarmed  at  the  demonstration  in  front 
of  his  office.  The  disturbers  of  the  peace  fell  back 
as  he  advanced,  and  he  reached  the  door  where 
the  detective  and  his  companion  were  standing 
without  being  attacked.  The  mob,  now  consider- 
ably increased  in  numbers,  though  probably  more 
than  a  majority,  as  usual,  were  merely  spectators, 
hooted  violently  at  the  representative  of  the 
United  States. 

The  gentleman  reached  the  door  of  his  office. 


116  FIGHTING   FOE   THE   RIGHT 

and  by  this  time  the  ruffians  seemed  to  realize 
that  simple  hooting  did  no  harm,  and  they  rushed 
forward  with  more  serious  intentions.  One  of 
them  laid  violent  hands  on  the  consul,  seizing 
him  by  the  back  of  his  coat  collar,  and  attempting 
to  pull  him  over  backwards.  Christy  felt  that  he 
was  under  the  flag  of  his  country,  and  his  blood 
boiled  with  indignation ;  and,  rash  as  was  the  act, 
he  planted  a  heavy  blow  with  his  fist  under  the 
ear  of  the  assailant,  which  sent  him  reeling  back 
among  his  companions. 

"No  revolvers,  Christophe!"  said  the  detective 
earnestly,  as  he  placed  himself  by  the  side  of  the 
young  man. 

Christy's  revolver  was  in  his  hip-pocket,  where 
he  usually  carried  it,  and  the  detective  feared  he 
might  use  it,  for  both  of  them  could  hardly  with- 
stand the  pressure  upon  them ;  and  the  firing  of 
a  single  shot  would  have  roused  the  passions  of 
the  mob,  and  led  to  no  little  bloodshed.  M. 
Rubempre  was  entirely  cool  and  self-possessed, 
which  could  hardly  be  said  of  the  young  naval 
officer. 

By  this  time  Mr.  Alwayn  had  opened  the  front 
door  of   the    office,  and  gone  in.     The  detective 


IMPOETANT   INFORIVIATION    OBTAINED        117 

backed  in  after  him,  and  then  pushed  Christy  in 
after  the  consul.  The  ruffians  saw  that  they  were 
losing  their  game,  and  they  rushed  upon  the  door. 
One  of  them  crowded  his  way  in,  but  M.  Rubem- 
pre,  in  a  very  quiet  way,  delivered  a  blow  oii  the 
end  of  the  assailant's  nose,  which  caused  him  to 
retreat,  with  the  red  fluid  spurting  from  the  in- 
jured member. 

Taking  his  place,  two  others  pushed  forward, 
and  aimed  various  blows  at  the  two  defendei-s  of 
the  position  ;  but  both  of  them  were  skilled  in 
this  sort  of  play,  and  warded  off  the  strokes,  deliv- 
ering telling  blows  in  the  faces  of  the  enemy. 
Mr.  Alwayn  had  partially  closed  the  door ;  but  he 
was  not  so  cowardly  as  to  shut  out  his  two  volun- 
teer defenders.  As  soon  as  they  understood  his 
object,  they  backed  in  at  the  door,  dispersing  the 
ruffians  with  well-directed  blows,  and  the  consul 
closed  and  locked  the  door.  Before  any  further 
mischief  could  be  done,  the  police  came  and  dis- 
persed the  rioters.  The  consul  fared  better  on 
this  occasion  than  on  several  others,  in  one  of 
which  he  was  quite  seriously  injured. 

As  soon  as  order  was  restored,  Mr.  Alwayn 
conducted  his   defenders  to  his  office,   where  he 


118  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

thanked  them  heartily  for  the  service  tliey  had 
rendered  him.  During  the  melee  M.  Rubempre 
had  tried  to  address  the  ruffians  in  broken  French, 
for  he  did  not  for  a  moment  forget  his  assumed 
character.  He  used  the  same  "  pigeon-talk "  to 
the  consul,  and  Christy,  in  the  little  he  said, 
adopted  the  same  dialect. 

"  I  see  you  are  not  Americans,  my  friends,"  said 
the  official. 

"  No,  saire  ;  we  are  some  Frenchmen,"  replied 
the  detective,  spreading  out  his  two  hands  in  a 
French  gesture,  and  bowing  very  politely. 

"  Being  Frenchmen,  I  am  not  a  little  surprised 
that  you  should  have  undertaken  to  defend  me 
from  this  assault,"  added  Mr.  Alwayn. 

"  Ze  Frenchman  like,  wat  was  this  you  call  him, 
ze  fair  play;  and  ve  could  not  prevent  to  put  some 
fingers  in  tose  pies.  Ver  glad  you  was  not  have 
the  head  broke,"  replied  M.  Rubempre,  with  an- 
other native  flourish.  "  Mais^  wat  for  de  canaille 
make  ze  war  on  you,  saire  ?  You  was  certainment 
un  gentleman  ver  respectable." 

Mr.  Alwayn  explained  why  he  had  incurred  the 
hostility  of  the  blockade-runners  and  their  adhe- 
rents, for  he  was  sometimes  compelled  to  protest 


IMPORTANT   INFORMATION   OBTAINED        119 

against  what  he  regarded  as  breaches  of  neutrality, 
and  was  obliged  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty  to 
look  after  these  people  very  closely,  so  that  he  was 
regarded  as  a  spy. 

"  Oh  !  it  was  ze  blockheads,  was  it  ?  "  exclaimed 
the  Frenchman. 

"Hardly  the  blockheads,"  replied  the  consul, 
laughing  at  the  blunder  of  the  foreigner.  "  It  is 
the  blockade-runners  tliat  make  the  trouble." 

"  Blockade-runners !  Merci.  Was  there  much 
blockadeers  here  in  ze  islands?"  asked  M.  Rubem- 
prd,  as  though  he  was  in  total  ignorance  of  the 
entire  business  of  breaking  the  blockade. 

"Thousands  of  them  come  here,  for  this  is  about 
the  nearest  neutral  port  to  Wilmington,  where 
many  of  this  sort  of  craft  run  in." 

"Wilmington  was  in  Delaware,  where  I  have 
seen  him  on  ze  map." 

"  No,  sir  ;  this  Wilmington  is  in  North  Carolina. 
If  you  look  out  on  the  waters  of  the  harbor,  half 
the  vessels  you  see  there  are  blockade-runners," 
added  the  consul.  "  And  there  are  more  of  them 
at  St.  George's.  It  was  only  yesterday  that  a 
steamer  I  believe  to  be  intended  for  a  man-of-war 
for  the  Confederacy   came   into    the   port   of   St. 


120  FIGHTING   FOR    THE   RIGHT 

George's,  and  I  have  been  much  occupied  with  lier 
affairs,  which  is  probably  the  reason  for  this 
attempt  to  assault  me." 

"  Ze  wtaw-of-war,"  repeated  tlie  Frenchman. 
"  Ze  war,  cest  la  guerre  ;  mais  wat  was  ze  man  ?  " 

"  She  is  a  vessel  used  for  war  purposes." 

"  She !  She  is  a  woman ;  and  I  think  that 
steamer  was  a  woman-of-war." 

The  consul  laughed  heartily,  but  insisted  upon 
the  feminine  designation  of  the  steamer. 

"  What  you  call  ze  name  of  ze  man-of-war  ? " 
asked  M.  Rubempre,  putting  on  a  very  puzzled 
expression  of  countenance. 

"  The  Dornoch,"  replied  Mr.  Alwayn. 

"The  D'Ornoch,"  added  the  detective.  "How 
you  write  him  —  like  zis  ?  "  and  he  wrote  it  on  a 
piece  of  paper  by  his  own  method. 

"  Not  exactly,"  replied  the  consul,  writing  it  as 
given  in  English. 

"  How  long  ze  Dornoch  will  she  stop  in  zat 
port  ?  "  asked  the  Frenchman,  in  a  very  indifferent 
tone,  as  though  the  answer  was  not  of  the  least 
consequence  to  him. 

"  Not  long ;  I  heard  it  stated  in  St.  George's 
that  she  would  get  her  supplies  and  cargo  on  board 


"He  planted  a  heavy  blow  with  his  fist  under  the  ear  of  his 

ASSAILANT."      Page    1X6. 


IMPORTANT   INFORMATION    OBTAINED        121 

to-day  and  to-morrow,  and  will  sail  before  dark 
to-morrow  night,"  replied  Mr.  Alwayn.  "  The 
government  here  ought  not  to  allow  her  to  remain 
even  as  long  as  that,  for  she  is  plainly  intended 
for  a  Confederate  cruiser,  and  my  men  inform  -  me 
that  she  has  six  great  guns,  and  fifty  men." 

M.  Rubempre  obtained  all  the  information  the 
consul  was  able  to  give  him,  and  much  of  it  was 
of  great  importance.  The  official  was  under  obli- 
gations to  the  two  strangers,  and  he  seemed  not  to 
suspect  that  either  of  them  was  an  American, 
much  less  a  naval  officer.  They  took  their  leave 
of  him  in  the  politest  manner  possible,  and  were 
shown  to  the  door  by  the  consul. 

"  I  am  not  quite  sure  that  all  his  information  is 
correct,  and  we  must  investigate  for  oui-selves," 
said  the  detective  when  they  were  in  the  street. 
"  But  this  affray  is  bad  for  us,  and  I  was  very 
sorry  when  you  interfered,  Christophe." 

"  You  did  not  expect  to  see  me  fold  my  arms 
when  a  representative  of  the  United  States,  and 
under  our  flag,  was  attacked  by  a  lot  of  ruffians  ?  " 
demanded  Christy,  rather  warmly,  though  he 
spoke  in  French. 

"  I  know  you  could  not  help  it,  and  I  did  my 


122  FIGHTING   FOR   THE    RIGHT 

best  to  aid  you,"  added  M.  Rubempre.  "  I  only 
mean  that  it  was  unfortunate  for  us,  for  when  we 
go  about  on  the  islands,  we  may  be  recognized  by 
some  of  that  mob.  We  must  go  back  to  the 
hotel." 

In  a  few  minutes  more  they  were  at  the  Atl<intic, 
where  the  Frenchman,  with  his  usual  flourish, 
ordered  a  carriage  to  be  ready  in  half  an  hour, 
adding  that  he  was  about  to  dress  for  some  visits 
he  was  to  make  in  St.  George's.  They  went  to 
their  rooms,  and  each  of  them  changed  his  dress, 
coming  out  in  black  snits.  The  master  wore  a 
frock  coat,  but  the  servant  was  dressed  in  a  "  claw- 
hammer," and  looked  like  a  first-class  waiter. 

It  is  about  a  two  hours'  ride  over  to  St.  George's, 
and  Christy  enjoyed  the  excursion  as  much  as 
though  there  had  not  been  a  blockade-runner  in 
the  world.  The  town,  with  even  its  principal 
street  not  more  than  ten  feet  wide,  reminded  him 
of  some  of  the  quaint  old  cities  of  Europe  he  had 
visited  with  his  father  a  few  years  before.  But 
M.  Rubempre  was  bent  on  business,  and  the  delight- 
ful scenery  was  an  old  story  to  him.  They  took  a 
boat  at  a  pier,  and  for  an  hour  a  negro  pulled 
tliem   about   the   harbor.     There    were    quite    a 


IMPORTANT    INFORMATION    OBTAINED        123 

number  of  steamers  in  the  port,  long,  low,  and 
rakish  craft,  built  expressly  for  speed,  and  some  of 
them  must  have  been  knocked  to  pieces  by  the 
blockaders  before  the  lapse  of  many  weeks,  though 
a  considerable  proportion  of  them  succeeded  in 
delivering  their  cargoes  at  Wilmington  or  other 
places. 

The  visitors  looked  them  over  with  tlie  greatest 
interest.  They  even  went  on  board  of  a  couple  of 
them,  the  detective  pretending  that  he  was  look- 
ing for  a  passage  to  some  port  in  the  South  from 
which  he  could  reach  Mobile,  where  his  brother 
was  in  the  Confederate  army.  No  one  could 
doubt  that  he  was  a  Frenchman,  and  on  one  of 
them  the  captain  spoke  French,  though  very 
badly.  M.  Rubempre's  good  clothes  secured  the 
respect  and  confidence  of  those  he  encountered, 
and  most  of  the  officers  freely  told  him  where 
they  were  bound,  and  talked  with  great  gusto  of 
the  business  in  which  they  were  engaged.  But 
none  of  them  could  guarantee  him  a  safe  passage 
to  any  port  on  the  blockaded  coast. 

The  excursion  in  the  boat  was  continued,  for 
the  visitors  had  not  yet  seen  the  steamer  they 
were  the  most  anxious  to  examine.     The  detective 


124  FIGHTING    FOR   THE    RIGHT 

would  not  inquire  about  this  steamer,  fearful  tliat 
it  might  be  reported  by  the  negro  at  the  oars,  and 
excite  suspicion.  But  at  last,  near  the  entrance 
to  the  harbor,  the  boatman  pointed  out  the  Dor- 
noch, and  told  them  all  he  knew  about  her.  There 
were  several  lighters  alongside,  discharging  coal 
and  other  cargo  into  her. 

M.  Rubempr^,  in  his  broken  English,  asked 
permission  to  go  on  deck,  and  it  was  promptly- 
accorded  to  him.  He  was  very  polite  to  the 
officers,  and  they  treated  him  with  proper  con- 
sideration. There  were  no  guns  in  sight,  and  the 
steamer  looked  like  a  merchantman ;  but  if  she 
had  been  searched,  her  armament  would  have  been 
found  in  the  hold.  The  visitor  again  repeated 
his  desire  to  obtain  a  passage  to  the  South ;  and 
this  request  seemed  to  satisfy  the  first  officer  with 
whom  lie  talked.  He  was  informed  that  the 
steamer  would  sail  about  five  on  the  afternoon  of 
the  next  day,  and  he  must  be  on  board  at  that 
time,  if  he  wished  to  go  in  the  vessel.  He  learned 
many  particulars  in  regard  to  her. 


AN    UNEXPECTED   RENCONTKE  125 


CHAPTER  XI 

AN   UNEXPECTED   RENCONTRE 

It  was  lunch-time  when  the  visitors  hmded, 
and  they  proceeded  to  the  St.  George's  Hotel  in 
Market  Square,  to  attend  to  this  mid-day  duty. 
In  the  coffee-room  they  found  quite  a  number  of 
guests,  and  the  only  spare  seat  the  detective  found 
was  at  a  large  table  at  which  a  gentleman  in 
uniform  was  seated. 

"  Wit  your  permis-si-on,  I  take  one  of  the  places 
here,"  said  M.  Rubempre  with  his  politest  flourish. 

"  Certainly,"  replied  the  gentleman,  as  politely 
as  the  Frenchman ;  and  he  seated  himself  at  the 
table,  Christy  remaining  standing. 

"  Demandez  un  gareon "  (ask  for  a  waiter), 
"  Christophe."  Then  in  French  he  asked  the 
stranger  opposite  him  if  he  spoke  that  language. 

"  A  little,  sir ;  but  I  am  not  fluent  in  it,"  replied 
the  gentleman  in  the  same  language. 

"  Ah,  my  dear  sir,  you  speak   very  well ;    and 


126  FIGHTING   FOR   THE    RIGHT 

you  have  the  Parisian  accent,"  added  the  French- 
man, who,  like  his  countrymen,  counted  upon  the 
effect  of  a  little  well-administered  flattery. 

"  You  are  very  kind  to  say  so,  sir.  I  have  been 
in  Paris  a  few  montlis,  and  was  always  able  to 
make  my  way  with  the  language,"  said  the  stran- 
ger, evidently  pleased  with  the  commendation 
bestowed  upon  his  French  accent ;  for  many 
people  take  more  pride  in  their  foreign  accent  than 
in  the  proper  use  of  their  own  language. 

"  Christophe,  find  a  place  for  yourself,  and  order 
what  you  desire,"  continued  the  Frenchman,  as  a 
waiter,  summoned  by  the  acting  servant,  presented 
himself  to  take  the  order. 

At  this  moment  a  gentleman  behind  the  detec- 
tive vacated  his  place  at  the  table,  and  Christy  took 
a  seat  close  to  his  companion.  The  lunch  of  both 
was  ordered,  and  the  stranger  opposite  had  but 
just  commenced  his  meal.  M.  Rubempre  "  laid 
himself  out"  to  make  himself  as  agreeable  as 
possible,  and  he  seemed  to  be  succeeding  admira- 
bly, for  the  stranger  appeared  to  be  absolutely 
charmed  with  him.  Speaking  slowly  and  clearly, 
so  that  the  person  in  uniform,  wlio  did  not  speak 
French  fluently,   could   understand   him,   he    told 


AN  UNEXPECTED  EENCONTKE       127 

him  all  about  his  brother  in  the  Confederate  army, 
and  strongly  expressed  his  desire  to  join  him,  and 
perhaps  the  army,  for  he  had  very  strong  sympathy 
for  the  right  in  the  great  conflict ;  in  fact,  he  was 
disposed  to  engage  in  fighting  for  the  right. 

Then  he  inquired  of  his  new  friend  what  wine 
was  the  best  in  the  island.  The  stranger  preferred 
sherry,  but  perhaps  a  Frenchman  might  take  a 
different  view  of  the  subject.  M.  Rubempre 
ordered  both  sherry  and  claret,  and  then  filled  the 
classes  of  his  vis-a-vis  and  his  own.  He  did  not 
offer  any  to  his  servant,  for  he  knew  that  he  never 
touched  it.  They  drank  claret  first  to  each  other's 
health. 

"  You  are  in  the  military,  my  friend  ? "  con- 
tinued the  detective. 

"  No,  sir ;  I  am  a  sailor.  Allow  me  to  intro- 
duce myself  as  Captain  Rombold,  of  the  steamer 
Dornoch." 

"  I  am  extremely  happy  to  make  your  acquaint- 
ance, Captain  Rombold.  To  reciprocate,  I  am  M. 
Rubempre,  of  Paris,"  added  the  Frenchman,  as  he 
filled  his  companion's  glass,  and  they  tippled  again 
with  an  abundance  of  compliments.  "  I  presume 
that  you  are  in  the  British  navy,  Captain  Rom- 
bold?" 


128  FIGHTING   FOR   THE  EIGHT 

"  At  present  I  am  not,  though  I  was  formerly  in 
that  service,  and  resigned  to  engage  in  a  more 
lucrative  occupation." 

"  Indeed,  what  could  be  better  than  the  position 
of  an  officer  in  the  Royal  navy  ?  " 

"  I  am  now  a  commander  in  the  navy  of  the 
Confederate  States,"  added  the  captain,  looking 
with  interest  into  the  face  of  his  companion.  "  I 
am  taking  in  coal  and  cargo,  and  shall  sail  at  five 
to-morrow  afternoon  for  Wilmington." 

"  Is  it  possible  ?  "  said  M.  Rubempre,  who  ap- 
peared to  be  greatly  impressed  by  what  was  said 
to  him.  "  I  wish  I  was  a  sailor,  but  I  am  not. 
You  will  break  through  the  blockade  ?  " 

"  I  apprehend  no  difficulty  in  doing  that,  for  the 
Dornoch  is  good  for  fourteen  knots  an  hour,  and 
most  of  the  Federal  fleet  cannot  make  more  than 
twelve." 

Christy  was  very  glad  to  hear  this  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  speed  of  the  intended  cruiser,  for  it 
assured  him  that  the  Chateaugay  could  outsail 
her.  The  two  gentlemen  at  the  other  table  passed 
the  wine  very  freely,  and  both  of  them  seemed  to 
be  consideral)ly  exhilarated;  but  he  was  glad  to 
perceive  that  his  friend  allowed  the  captain  to  do 


AN    UNPZXPECTED   RENCONTRE  129 

the  most  of  the  talking.  The  lunch  was  finished 
at  last,  and  both  of  them  rose  from  the  table. 

"  I  am  exceedingly  obliged  to  you,  M.  Rubem- 
pre,  for  the  pleasure  I  have  derived  from  this 
interview,"  said  Captain  Rombold,  as  he  grasped 
the  hand  of  his  companion.  "  I  have  had  more 
practice  with  my  French  than  for  several  years, 
and  I  take  great  delight  in  speaking  the  language. 
I  hope  we  shall  meet  again." 

"  Thanks  !  Thanks  !  I  am  very  sure  that  we 
shall  meet  again ;  and  almost  as  sure  that  we  shall 
meet  fighting  for  the  right,"  added  the  French- 
man. 

"  But  I  hope  you  will  be  a  passenger  on  board 
of  the  Dornoch,  as  you  suggested  to  me  a  little 
wliile  ago.  I  will  give  you  a  good  stateroom, 
though  I  cannot  absolutely  promise  to  take  you  to 
the  port  of  our  destination,  for  accidents  may  hap- 
pen in  the  midst  of  the  blockaders." 

"  If  I  can  go  with  you,  my  dear  Captain  Rom- 
bold, I  shall  be  on  board  of  your  ship  by  four  to- 
morrow afternoon,"  replied  the  detective,  as  he 
took  the  hand  of  his  new  friend  for  the  last  time. 

Christy  had  finished  his  lunch,  and  they  left  the 
hotel  together.     The  carriage   in  which  they  had 


130  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

come  called  for  them  at  the  appomted  time,  and 
they  returned  to  Hamilton.  The  conversation  was 
continued  in  French,  so  that  the  driver  was  none 
the  wiser  for  what  he  heard.  At  the  Atlantic 
they  went  to  their  rooms,  where  the  information 
they  had  obtained  was  collaborated,  and  written 
down  in  French,  the  detedtive  concealing  it  in  a 
belt  pocket  he  wore  on  his  body. 

"  The  wonder  to  me  has  been  that  these  officers 
talked  so  freely,"  said  Christy,  as  they  seated 
themselves  at  a  window.  "  They  talked  to  you  as 
plainly  as  though  you  had  been  their  friend  for 
life." 

"  Why  shouldn't  they  ?  They  can't  help  know- 
ing that  I  am  a  Frenchman  ;  and  I  am  sorry  to 
say  that  my  countrymen^  like  so  many  of  the  Eng- 
lish, sympathize  with  the  South  in  the  great  Civil 
"War.  They  take  me  for  a  friend  at  once.  Be- 
sides, as  they  understand  the  matter  here,  why 
should  these  blockade-runners,  or  even  the  Con- 
federate commander,  object  to  telling  what  they 
are  going  to  do.  There  will  be  no  mail  steamer  to 
New  York  till  after  they  have  all  gone  off;  and 
there  is  no  telegraph  yet." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,  M.   Rubempr^ ;  but  I 


AN  UNEXPECTED  RENCONTRE       131 

think  a  good  deal  more  discretion  would  become 
them  better,  as  they  are  likely  to  ^iscertain  very 
soon,"  added  Christy. 

"  I  suppose  none  of  these  people  here  would 
consider  it  possible  or  practicable  to  land  at  these 
islands  and  pick-up  the  news,  as  we  have  done. 
This  was  my  plan  for  Nassau,  but  I  did  not  think 
of  applying  it  to  the  Bermudas,  till  Captain  Chan- 
tor  told  me  his  difficulty  as  to  waiting  for  the 
Dornoch." 

"■  It  seems  to  me  we  have  done  all  we  can  do 
here,  and  there  is  nothing  more  to  do." 

"  That  is  very  true  ;  but  I  supposed  it  would 
take  at  least  two  days  to  do  our  business.  We 
have  been  much  more  successful  than  I  anticipated, 
and  performed  the  duty  in  half  the  time  I  sup- 
posed it  would  require.  But  it  was  better  to  have 
too  much  time  than  too  little." 

"  It  is  nearly  night  now,  and  we  have  anotlier 
day  to  spend  here." 

"  We  can  rest  from  our  labors  in  the  liope  that 
our  works  will  follow  us.  I  am  ready  to  do  a  good 
deal  of  sleeping  in  the  time  that  remains  to  us, 
for  we  may  not  be  able  to  sleep  any  to-morrow 
night,"  added  the  detective  as  he  threw  himself  on 
his  bed,  and  was  soon  fast  asleep. 


132  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

Christy  had  slept  enough  the  night  before  and 
during  the  morning  ;  and  he  went  out  to  take  a 
walk  in  the  town.  He  had  taken  off  his  suit  of 
black,  and  put  on  the  costume  he  had  worn  from 
the  ship.  He  was  inclined  to  see  what  there  was 
in  the  town  ;  and  he  walked  about  till  it  was  dark, 
at  which  time  he  found  himself  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  Hamilton  Hotel,  the  largest  and  best  appointed 
in  the  town.  He  was  dressed  very  plainly,  but 
there  was  nothing  shabby  in  his  appearance  ;  and 
he  thought  he  would  inspect  the  interior  of  the 
hotel. 

He  began  to  mount  the  piazza,  when  he  sud- 
denly halted,  and  started  back  with  astonishment, 
and  his  hair  almost  stood  on  end.  Directly  in 
front  of  him,  and  not  ten  feet  distant,  sat  his 
uncle.  Homer  Passford,  of  Glenfield,  talking  with 
a  gentleman  in  uniform.  The  lantern  that  hung 
near  him  enabled  him  to  see  the  features  of  the 
planter,  but  he  could  not  see  the  face  of  the  offi- 
cer, with  whom'  he  was  engaged  in  a  ver}'^  earnest 
conversation. 

Christy's  first  impulse  was  to  put  a  long  dis- 
tance between  himself  and  his  uncle,  for  his 
father's  brother  might  identify  him  in  spite  of  the 


AN  UNEXPECTED  RENCONTRE       133 

color  on  his  face.  Such  a  discovery  was  likely  to 
prove  very  annoying  to  him,  and  might  render 
useless  the  information  the  detective  and  himself 
had  obtained  with  so  much  trouble  and  risk.  But 
the  first  question  that  came  into  his  head  was  the 
inquiry  as  to  what  his  uncle  was  doing  in  Ber- 
muda. He  was  a  Confederate  of  the  most  posi- 
tive type,  had  done  everything  in  his  power  for 
his  government,  as  he  understood  it,  and  was 
willing  to  sacrifice  his  life  and  all  that  he  had  in 
the  world  in  its  service. 

Colonel  Passford  must  be  there  on  some  mission. 
He  was  a  prominent  and  useful  man  in  his  State  ; 
and  he  would  not  have  left  it  without  some  very 
strong  motive.  The  nephew  would  have  given  a 
great  deal,  and  exposed  himself  to  no  little  peril, 
to  be  able  to  fathom  this  motive.  He  moved 
away  from  the  piazza,  and  went  uj^on  it  at  another 
place.  If  he  could  hear  some  of  the  conversation 
he  might  be  able  to  form  some  idea  of  the  occasion 
of  his  uncle's  visit. 

Walking  along  the  platform,  he  obtained  a  posi- 
tion behind  Colonel  Passford,  and  at  the  same 
time  saw  the  face  of  the  person  with  Avhom  he 
was  in  conversation.    He  was  not  a  little  surprised 


134  FIGFITING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

to  discover  that  the  gentleman  was  Captain  Rom- 
bold,  commander  of  the  Dornoch.  He  had  hardly- 
seen  this  officer,  and  he  had  no  fear  that  he  would 
recognize  him  ;  and,  if  he  did,  it  was  of  little  con- 
sequence, for  he  was  there  in  the  capacity  of  a 
servant.  He  took  a  vacant  chair,  turned  his  back 
to  both  of  the  speakers,  and  opened  wide  his  ears. 
Probably  nine-tenths  of  the  people  in  the  hotel 
were  directly  or  indirectly  concerned  in  the  busi- 
ness of  blockade-running ;  and  secrecy  was  hardly 
necessary  in  that  locality. 

"  As  I  say.  Captain  Rombold,  we  need  more 
fast  steamers,  not  to  run  the  blockade,  but  to  prey 
upon  the  enemy's  commerce.  In  that  way  we  can 
bring  the  people  of  the  North  to  their  senses,  and 
put  this  unhallowed  strife  on  the  part  of  the  Fed- 
erals to  an  end,"  said  Colonel  Passford. 

"  Well,  Colonel,  there  are  ships  enough  to  be 
had  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  and  your 
money  or  your  cotton  will  buy  them,"  added  the 
naval  officer. 

''  We  have  been  rather  unfortunate  in  running 
cotton  out  this  last  year.  Several  steamers  and 
sailing  vessels  that  I  fitted  out  witli  cotton  my- 
self  were    captured    by    my    own    nepliew,    who 


AN  UNEXPECTED  RENCONTRE       135 

was  in  command  of  a  small  steamer  called  the 
Bronx." 

"  Of  course  those  things  could  not  be  helped," 
replied  Captain  Rombold ;  "  but  with  the  Gates- 
head and  the  Kilmarnock,  larger  and  more  power- 
ful steamers  than  any  that  have  been  sent  over, 
you  can  scour  the  ocean.  They  are  ready  for  you 
when  your  money  is  ready." 

"  It  is  ready  now,  for  I  have  sacrificed  my  entire 
fortune  for  the  purchase  of  these  steamers  ;  and  I 
wait  only  for  a  vessel  that  will  take  me  to  Scot- 
land," replied  Colonel  Passford. 

Christy  promptly  decided  that  the  steamers 
mentioned  should  not  be  purchased  to  prey  on  the 
commerce  of  the  United  States,  if  he  could  possi- 
bly prevent  it. 


136  FIGHTING   FOE   THE   RIGHT 


CHAPTER  XII 

AN  IMPKACTICABLE   SCHEME 

Before  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  the  commerce 
of  the  United  States  exceeded  that  of  any  other 
nation  on  the  globe.  The  Confederate  steamers, 
the  Sumter,  Alabama,  Georgia,  Florida,  and  other 
cruisers,  swept  our  ships  from  the  ocean,  and  the 
country  has  never  regained  its  commercial  prestige. 
Christy  Passford  listened  with  intense  interest  to 
the  conversation  between  his  uncle  and  the  com- 
mander of  the  Dornoch,  and  he  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  latter  was  a  naval  officer  of  no  ordinary 
ability.  He  evidently  believed  that  the  six-gun 
steamer  in  his  charge  was  a  command  not  worthy 
of  his  talent. 

The  Sumter,  and  some  other  vessels  fitted  out  as 
privateers  or  war  vessels,  had  already  done  a  great 
deal  of  mischief  to  the  shipping  of  the  Northern 
States,  and  the  young  man  fully  realized  the  mean- 
ing of   his   uncle's  intentions.     Colonel  Passford 


AN   IMPRACTICABLE   SCHEME  137 

had  been  supplied  with  money  by  his  government, 
with  what  he  had  raised  himself,  to  purchase  larger 
and  more  powerful  steamers  than  had  yet  been 
obtained,  and  Captain  Rombold  appeared  to  be  hiS' 
confidant,  with  whom  he  must  have  been  in  com- 
munication for  a  considerable  length  of  time. 

Colonel  Passford  was  going  to  England  and 
Scotland  to  purchase  the  steamers  mentioned  and 
recommended  as  the  kind  required  by  his  present 
companion.  Christy  could  think  of  no  manner  in 
which  he  could  serve  his  country  so  effectually  as 
by  preventing,  or  even  delaying,  the  adding  of 
these  vessels  to  the  navy  of  the  South.  But  it  was 
a  tremendous  undertaking  for  a  young  man.  His 
uncle  had  certainly  been  very  indiscreet  in  talking 
out  loud  about  his  plans ;  but  it  could  hardly  have 
been  supposed  that  any  loyal  ears  were  near  enough 
to  hear  them,  for  even  the  American  consul  was 
not  safe  in  the  islands. 

Christy  had  doubled  himself  up  in  his  chair,  and 
pretended  to  be  asleep,  so  that  no  notice  was  taken 
of  him  by  the  two  gentlemen  in  conversation.  He 
continued  to  listen  till  he  heard  a  clock  strike  nine  ; 
but  he  obtained  no  further  information,  except  in 
relation  to  the  details  of  the  colonel's  plans.     He 


138  FIGHTING   FOTl   THE   RIGHT 

was  in  great  haste  to  get  to  England  to  purchase 
the  vessels,  and  he  had  the  drafts  about  him  for  the 
purpose.  It  was  a  vast  sum,  for  the  prices  of  de- 
sirable steamers  had  largely  advanced  under  the 
demand  for  them  for  running  the  blockade. 

^  "  The  easiest  and  quickest  way  for  you  to  get  to 
Liverpool  or  Glasgow  is  to  go  to  New  York,  and 
there  take  a  steamer  to  either  of  these  ports,"  sug- 
gested Captain  Rombold. 

"  I  dare  not  go  to  New  York,  for  I  should  cer- 
tainly be  recognized  there.  My  only  brother  is 
one  of  the  most  prominent  agents  of  the  Yankee 
government,  and  every  passenger  from  Bermuda 
and  Nassau  is  watched  and  dogged  by  detectives. 
It  would  not  be  prudent  for  me  to  go  New  York, 
for  some  pretext  to  rob  me  of  the  drafts  I  carry 
would  be  found,"  replied  Homer  Passford. 

"  There  may  be  a  steamer  from  Bermuda  in  a 
week  or  a  month,  for  there  is  no  regular  line," 
added  the  naval  officer. 

"But  there  are  regular  lines  from  Havana, 
Mexico,  Jamaica,  and  the  Windward  Islands,"  sug- 
gested the  agent  of  the  Confederate  government. 

"  Very  true,  and  it  is  not  necessary  that  I  should 
make  a  port  in  the   Confederate  States  before  I 


AN    IMPRACTICABLE    SCHEME  139 

begin  my  work  on  the  ocean,"  said  Captain  Rom- 
bold.  "  I  have  m}'-  commission  from  your  govern- 
ment, with  full  powers  to  act,  thougli  I  desired  to 
make  a  port  in  the  South,  for,  as  you  are  aware, 
my  wife  is  a  native  of  Georgia,  and  is  at  her  fatlier's 
plantation  at  the  present  time.  I  captured  two 
Yankee  vessels  oif  the  Azores,  and  burned  them." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  about  your  powers ;  but  can 
you  not  aid  me  in  getting  to  England?"  persisted 
the  colonel. 

"  If  you  will  take  the  chances,  I  can,  Colonel 
Passford.  If  you  will  go  on  board  of  my  ship  to- 
morrow afternoon,  and  sail  with  me,  I  have  no 
doubt  we  shall  overhaul  a  steamer  bound  to  England 
in  the  course  of  a  week,  for  I  will  get  into  the 
track  of  these  vessels." 

The  agent  promptly  accepted  this  proposition, 
and  soon  after  the  conference  ended,  though  not 
till  the  listener  had  taken  himself  out  of  the  way. 
Christy  had  turned  over  in  his  mind  a  plan  to  ter- 
minate very  suddenly  his  uncle's  mission  to  pur- 
chase steamers,  and  to  obtain  possession  of  his 
drafts.  M.  Rubempre  was  adroit  enough  to  accom- 
plish almost  anything,  and  he  intended  to  have  the 
detective  make  the  colonel's  acquaintance,  and  in- 


140  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   IIIGHT 

duce  him  to  embark  witli  them  in  the  Eleuthera, 
pretending  that  he  was  going  to  France  himself, 
and  intended  to  intercept  a  French  steamer  from 
Progreso,  whose  course  lay  but  a  short  distance 
south  of  the  Bermudas. 

But  the  plan  suggested  by  Captain  Rombold, 
and  adopted  by  Colonel  Passford,  saved  him  from 
what  the  young  officer  regarded  as  his  duty  in  the 
deception  and  capture  of  his  uncle.  When  the 
Bellevite,  while  she  was  still  the  yacht  of  Captain 
Horatio  Passford,  had  gone  to  the  vicinity  of 
Mobile,  to  the  home  of  his  father's  brother.  Homer 
had  done  all  in  his  power  to  capture  the  steamer 
for  the  use  of  his  government,  and  had  made  war 
upon  her  with  armed  vessels.  He  had  done  so 
conscientiously,  believing  it  to  be  his  duty  to  his 
country.  This  fact  from  the  past  made  it  easier 
for  Christy  to  think  of  such  a  thing  as  the  capture 
of  his  uncle,  even  in  a  neutral  country. 

The  young  man  returned  to  the  Atlantic  Hotel. 
He  found  M.  Rubempr^  still  fast  asleep,  for  his 
slumbers  the  night  before  had  been  very  brief.  He 
waked  him,  and  told  him  all  that  had  transpired 
during  the  evening,  though  not  till  the  detective 
had  ordered  supper,  which  they  had  not  partaken 


AN   IMPRACTICABLE   SCHEME  141 

of.  SO  far.  He  stated  the  plan  by  which  he  had 
proposed  to  himself  to  prevent  the  purchase,  for 
the  present  at  least,  of  the  Gateshead  and  Kilmar- 
nock." 

"  Not  a  practicable  plan,  Christophe,"  said  'the 
detective,  shaking  his  head  vigorously. 

"Why  not?"  demanded  Christy;  and  he  ex- 
plained the  conduct  of  his  uncle  in  regard  to  the 
Belle vite,  when  she  was  on  a  peaceful  errand  to 
convey  her  owner's  daughter  back  to  her  home. 

Then  he  related  the  attempt  of  the  colonel's  son, 
his  cousin  Corny,  to  capture  the  Bronx  by  a  piece 
of  wild  strategy. 

"  But  I  do  not  object  to  your  scheme  on  moral 
grounds,"  interposed  M.  Rubempre.  "  Have  you 
forgotten  the  affair  of  the  Trent,  when  Messrs. 
Mason  and  Slidell  were  taken  out  of  an  English 
steamer?  The  British  government  made  a  tremen- 
dous tempest,  and  would  certainly  have  declared 
war  if  the  two  envoys  had  not  been  returned  to  a 
British  ship-of-war.  The  English  flag  waves  over 
these  islands,  and  they  are  supposed  to  be  neutral 
ground." 

"  Neutral  with  a  vengeance !  "  exclaimed  Christy. 

"If  Colonel  Passford  had  been  carried  off  in  the 


142  FIGHTING    FOE    THE   RIGHT 

manner  you  tliought  of,  the  United  States  govern- 
ment would  have  been  compelled  to  return  him  to 
these  islands,  with  all  his  drafts  and  other  property. 
I  am  very  glad  you  found  it  unnecessary  to  carry 
out  such  a  plot,"  said  the  detective,  as  a  knock  at 
the  door  announced  that  their  supper  was  ready. 

As  Christy's  plan  was  not.  in  order,  would  be 
inutile,  the  business  of  the  visitors  at  the  islands 
was  finished.  Both  of  them  slept  till  very  late  in 
the  morning,  and  after  breakfast  lay  down  again 
and  slept  all  the  forenoon.  The  young  man  was 
afraid  to  go  out  of  the  hotel  in  the  afternoon,  fear- 
ful that  he  might  meet  his  uncle.  But  his  com- 
panion walked  about  the  place,  and  visited  the 
Hamilton,  where  he  again  encountered  Captain 
Ronifbold,  who  introduced  him  to  Colonel  Pass- 
ford  ;  informing  him  that  he  was  to  be  his  fellow 
passenger.  When  the  commander  of  the  Dornoch 
told  him  that  he  might  not  make  a  Confederate 
poit  for  some  weeks,  if  at  all,  M.  Rubempr^ 
decided  not  to  take  passage  with  him.  Of  course 
nothing  was  said  that  could  be  of  any  service  to 
the  detective,  for  he  had  already  obtained  the 
information  he  needed;  but  he  assured  himself 
that  the  steamer  would  sail  at  the  time  stated  the 
day  before. 


AN   IMPRACTICABLE   SCHEME  143 

Towards  night  the  detective  informed  the  land- 
lord that  he  was  to  go  to  St.  George's  in  the  even- 
ing, paid  his  bill,  and  liberally  rewarded  the  waiters. 
He  had  been  over  to  the  pier  to  look  after  the 
Eleuthera,  and  had  found  Joseph  at  his  house. 
The  boat  was  all  right ;  her  keeper  had  washed 
her  out,  and  put  everything  in  order  on  board  of 
her.  M.  Rubempre  returned  to  the  hotel,  and 
after  supper  Joseph  came  for  the  valises.  It  was 
quite  dark  when  they  left  the  place,  and  made 
their  way  to  the  pier.  No  one  asked  any  ques- 
tions, and  the  detective  had  caused  it  to  be  under- 
stood that  he  had  engaged  a  boatman  to  take  him 
to  St.  George's  by  water. 

They  went  on  board  of  the  boat,  and  the  fisher- 
man assisted  them  in  getting  under  way.  The 
liberal  skipper  gave  him  another  sovereign,  adding 
that  he  need  not  say  anything  to  any  person  about 
him  and  his  servant.  Joseph  was  profuse  in  his 
expressions  of  gratitude,  for  with  so  much  money 
in  his  pocket  he  need  not  go  a-fishing  again  for  a 
month  or  more,  and  protested  with  all  his  might 
that  he  would  not  mention  them  to  anybody. 

The  niglit  was  dark  enougli  to  conceal  the 
Eleuthera  after  she  got  away  from  the  shore,  but 


144  FIGHTING   FOR   THE    RIGHT 

not  SO  dark  tliat  the  skipper  could  not  find  his  way 
around  the  reefs  to  Hogfish  Cut.  It  was  high 
tide,  as  it  had  been  when  they  came  inside  of  the 
rocks,  and  the  boat  went  along  quite  briskly  in  the 
fresh  west  wind  that  was  still  blowing.  Without 
accident  or  incident  of  importance,  though  the 
wind  was  ahead  a  portion  of  the  way,  the  boat 
reached  the  Cut  at  about  midnight.  She  stuck 
on  a  reef  at  this  point,  but  very  lightly,  though  it 
required  half  an  hour  or  more  to  get  her  off.  She 
made  no  water,  and  did  not  appear  to  be  injured. 

Without  further  mishap  the  Eleuthera  passed 
through  the  opening  in  the  reefs,  and,  taking  the 
bearing  of  the  light  on  Gibbs  Hill,  Mr.  Gilfleur, 
as  Christy  began  to  call  him  from  this  time,  laid 
his  course  to  the  south-west.  The  Chateaugay 
was  not  to  show  any  lights,  and  there  was  nothing 
but  the  compass  to  depend  upon ;  but  a  light  was 
necessary  to  enable  the  skipper  to  see  it.  The 
lantern  was  used  for  this  purpose,  but  it  was  care- 
fully concealed  in  the  stern. 

"  We  are  all  right  now,  Mr.  Passford ;  and  you 
may  turn  in  for  about  three  hours,  for  I  don't 
think  we  shall  sight  the  ship  in  less  than  that 
time,"  said  the  detective,  as  he  put  on  his  overcoat. 


AN   IMPRACTICABLE   SCHEME  145 

for  the  night  air  was  rather  chilly,  and  his  compan- 
ion had  already  done  so. 

"  I  have  no  occasion  to  turn  in,  for  I  have  slept 
enough  at  that  hotel  to  last  me  for  a  week,"  replied 
Christy.  "  It  looks  now  as  though  we  had  made  a 
good  job  of  this  visit  to  the  Bermudas." 

"  I  think  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  that,  Mr. 
Passford ;  and  there  is  an  unpleasant  surprise  in 
store  for  your  worthy  uncle,"  said  Mr.  Gilfleur, 
chuckling  as  he  spoke. 

"  And  perhaps  for  your  accomplished  friend 
Captain  Rombold.  We  have  both  heard  him  say 
that  he  was  regularly  commissioned  as  a  com- 
mander in  the  Confederate  navy,  and  that  his  ship 
is  armed  with  all  proper  authority  to  capture, 
burn,  and  destroy  the  mercantile  marine  of  the 
United  States." 

"But  Captain  Rombold  is  an  ex-officer  of  the 
Royal  navy,  and  you  may  depend  upon  it  he  will 
fight.  There  will  be  a  naval  battle  somewhere  in 
the  vicinity  of  these  islands  to-morrow,  and  Cap- 
tain Chantor  will  find  that  it  will  be  no  boy's 
play,"  added  Mr.  Gilfleur. 

"  My  father  told  me  that  he  was  a  very  able 
officer,   and   had   already   rendered   good   service. 


146  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

good  enough  to  procure  his  rapid  promotion.  I 
liked  the  looks  of  his  officers  and  crew,  and  I  have 
no  doubt  they  will  give  a  good  account  of  them- 
selves." 

"  I  hope  so,  for  I  am  to  be  an  American  citizen  : 
I  have  filed  my  first  papers." 

"  I  doubt  not  you  will  make  a  good  and  useful 
citizen  ;  and  your  wonderful-skill  as  a  detective  will 
make  you  very  serviceable  to  your  new  country." 

The  conversation  was  continued  for  full  three 
hours  longer ;  at  the  end  of  which  time  they  saw  a 
dark  body  ahead  on  the  port  bow,  and  heard  some 
rather  gentle  screams  from  a  steam  whistle. 


AT  THE  END  OF  THE  CHASE       147 


CHAPTER   XIII 

AT   THE   END   OF   THE   CHASE 

Me.  Gilfleur  estimated  that  the  Eleuthera 
was  at  least  fifteen  miles  from  the  light,  and  the 
whistles  were  not  loud  enough  to  be  heard  at  that 
distance.  Neither  of  the  voyagers  had  any  doubt 
that  the  dark  mass  ahead  was  the  Chateaugay,  and 
the  skipper  headed  the  boat  for  her.  If  it  were 
not  the  ship  that  was  expecting  to  pick  uj)  the 
visitors  to  the  island,  she  would  not  be  whistling 
in  mid-ocean  ;  and  any  other  vessel  would  carry  a 
head  and  side  lights. 

In  half  an  hour  more,  for  the  Chateaugay  ap- 
peared to  have  stopped  her  screw,  the  boat  was 
within  speaking  distance,  and  the  hail  of  Christy 
was  answered.  When  she  came  alongside  the 
steamer,  the  accommodation  ladder  was  rio-o-ed 
out,  several  seamen  came  on  board,  and  the  voy- 
agers hastened  to  the  deck  of  the  ship.  Captain 
Chantor  grasped  the  hand  of  the  lieutenant,  and 
then  of  the  detective. 


148  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   IlIGHT 

"  I  had  some  doubts  whether  or  not  I  should 
ever  see  you  again,"  said  the  commander.  "  If 
they  had  discovered  that  one  of  you  was  a  United 
States  naval  officer,  they  would  have  mobbed 
you." 

"  As  they  did  the  American  consul  while  we 
were  there,"  added  Mr.  Gilfleur. 

"  You  will  tell  me  of  that  later,"  replied  the 
captain,  as  he  directed  the  officer  of  the  watch  to 
lioist  in  the  boat  and  secure  it  as  it  had  been  be- 
fore. "  Now,  come  down  into  my  cabin,  and  tell 
me  your  news,  if  you  have  seen  something,  even 
if  you  have  not  done  anything,"  he  added. 

"  We  were  not  expected  to  capture  the  islands, 
or  make  any  demonstration ;  and  we  have  been  in 
only  one  fight,"  replied  Christy,  to  whom  the  com- 
mander turned  as  soon  as  they  were  seated  at  the 
table. 

"  Then  you  have  been  in  a  fight  ?.  "  queried  the 
captain. 

"  Only  with  the  fists.  We  defended  the  United 
States  consul  when  he  was  hard  pressed,  and  we 
got  him  safely  into  his  office  by  the  time  the  police 
came  upon  the  scene,"  continued  Christy.  "  But 
we  have  important  information.  Mr.  Gilfleur  will 
give  it  to  you  in  full." 


AT  THE  END  OF  THE  CHASE       149 

"  Pardon ;  but  I  very  much  prefer  that  Mr. 
Passford  should  be  the  historian"  of  the  expedi- 
tion," interposed  the  detective. 

"But  my  friend  and  companion  has  been  the 
principal  actor ;  and  I  am  sure  I  could  not  have 
done  anything  to  obtain  the  information  without 
him,"  protested  the  lieutenant. 

"  Then  it  is  all  the  more  proper  that  you  should 
tell  the  story,  Mr.  Passford,  and  spare  Mr.  Gil- 
fieur's  modesty,"  said  the  captain. 

It  was  agreed  that  Christy  should  be  the  narra- 
tor of  the  results  of  the  expedition,  and  he  first 
described  the  trip  to  Hamilton  in  the  boat.  Then 
he  told  about  the  assault  on  the  consul,  and  in 
what  manner  they  had  defended  him. 

"  I  ought  to  inform  you  at  once  tliat  the  Dor- 
noch was  at  St.  George's  harbor,  and  that  she  was 
to  sail  yesterday  afternoon  at  five  o'clock,"  said 
Christy.  "But  she  is  bound  to  the  southward, 
and  her  first  mission  is  to  intercept  an  English  or 
French  steamer,  and  put  a  Confederate  commis- 
sioner, wishing  to  get  to  England,  on  board  of  her. 
This  agent  of  the  South  happens  to  be  my  uncle." 

"The  brother  of  Captain  Passford?" 

"  Yes,  Captain  ;  and  he  is  provided  with  funds 


150  FIGHTING   FOR  THE   EIGHT 

to  purchase  two  vessels  —  steamers,  to  be  fitted  up 
as  men-of-war." 

"  Then  if  he  is  your  father's  brother,  you  think, 
perhaps,  that  we  ought  not  to  molest  him,"  sug- 
gested the  captain. 

"  Why,  his  graceless  nephew  even  considered  a 
scheme  to  entice  him  on  board  of  our  boat,  under 
pretence  of  finding  a  passage  to  England  for  him," 
interposed  Mr,  Gilfleur,  laughing  heartily  at  the 
suggestion  of  the  commander. 

"  I  believe  in  treating  him  like  a  Christian  and 
a  gentleman,  for  he  is  both  of  these  ;  but  I  do  not 
believe  in  letting  him  fill  up  the  Confederate  navy 
with  foreign-built  steamers,  to  ruin  the  commerce 
of  my  country,"  replied  the  young  officer  with 
spirit.  "  My  father  would  no  more  believe  in  it 
than  I  do.  You  should  treat  him.  Captain  Chan- 
tor,  exactly  as  though  he  was  nobody's  brother  or 
uncle." 

The  commander  clapped  his  hands  as  though  he 
was  of  the  same  opinion  as  his  passenger,  and 
Christy  proceeded  with  his  narrative,  describing 
their  visit  to  the  Dornoch  and  the  blockade- 
runners  at  St.  George's  and  Hamilton.  The  cap- 
tain was  very  much  amused  at  his  interview  in 


AT  THE  END  OF  THE  CHASE       151 

French  with  Captam  Rombold,  and  his  conver- 
sations with  oihcers  of  other  vessels  they  had 
boarded.  The  detective  took  his  papers  from  the 
belt,  and  read  the  names  of  the  steamers,  and  the 
ports  for  which  they  were  bound. 

"  They  were  a  very  obliging  lot  of  blockade- 
runners,"  said  the  captain,  laughing  heartily  at  the 
freedom  with  which  they  had  spoken. 

"  I  don't  suppose  there  is  an  American  in  the 
Bermudas  at  the  present  time  besides  Mr.  Alwayn, 
the  consul,"  added  the  detective.  "  The  blockade- 
runners  have  the  islands  all  to  themselves,  or  at 
least  the  two  towns  on  them.  They  have  plenty 
of  money,  and  they  spend  it  without  stint  or 
measure.  They  make  business  good,  and  the  in- 
habitants take  excellent  care  of  them.  It  is  no 
place  for  Americans  ;  for  everybody's  sympathy  is 
with  the  South.  It  seems  to  me  that  there  is  no 
danger  of  talking  about  their  business  anywhere 
in  the  islands." 

"  They  were  speaking  all  the  time  to  a  French- 
man, who  had  considerable  difficulty  in  using  the 
English  language,"  said  Christy.  "  All  the  talk 
with  Captain  Rombold  was  in  French." 

The   narrative   was   finished,    and  discussed  at 


152  FIGHTING   FOE   THE   EIGHT 

great  length.  The  order  had  been  given  to  the 
officer  of  the  deck  to  go  ahead  at  full  speed,  mak- 
ing the  course  south-east,  after  the  Eleuthera  had 
been  hoisted  on  board  and  secured. 

"  It  looks  decidedly  like  a  battle  some  time  to- 
morrow," said  the  commander  thoughtfully. 

"  No  doubt  of  it,"  added  Christy. 

"  If  the  Dornoch  sailed  at  five  o'clock  yesterday 
afternoon,  according  to  the  arrangement,  she  must 
be  over  a  hundred  miles  from  the  islands  at  this 
moment,"  continued  Captain  Chantor  thoughtfully, 
as  he  consulted  his  watch.  "  We  can  only  conjec- 
ture his  course,  and  that  is  the  important  thing  for 
us  to  know.  His  first  objective  point  is  to  inter- 
cept a  steamer  bound  to  England  or  France.  If 
he  runs  directly  to  the  southward  he  may  miss  the 
first  one." 

"  If  I  were  in  his  place  I  should  run  to  the  east- 
ward, so  as  not  to  fall  astern  of  any  possible  steamer 
bound  to  England,"  added  Christy. 

"  That  was  the  thought  that  first  came  to  my 
mind,"  replied  the  commander,  as  he  brought  out 
a  chart  and  spread  it  on  the  table.  "  For  that 
reason  I  gave  out  the  course  to  the  south-east." 

A  careful  examination  of  the  chart  and  an  ex- 


AT   THE   END   OP   THE  CHASE  153 

tended  calculation  followed.  It  was  agreed  be- 
tween the  two  naval  officers  that  the  Dornoch 
would  go  to  the  eastward  till  she  fell  into  the 
track  of  vessels  bound  to  the  north-east  from 
Jamaica,  Cuban  ports,  or  Mexico,  and  then  ;put 
her  head  to  the  south-west.  It  was  four  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  the  cruiser  had  been  out  nine  hours, 
and  the  captain  dotted  the  chart  where  he  be- 
lieved slie  was  at  that  moment. 

"  She  has  made  all  the  easting  necessary,  and  by 
this  time  she  has  laid  her  course  about  south- 
west," continued  the  commander.  "  Captain  Rom- 
bold  will  not  hurry  his  ship,  for  he  has  no 
occasion  to  do  so,  and  he  will  naturally  save  his 
coal.  If  our  calculations  are  correct,  we  shall  see 
the  Dornoch  about  noon  to-day ; "  and  he  pointed 
to  the  conjunction  of  the  two  courses  as  he  had 
drawn  them  on  a  diagram.  "  That  is  all ;  and  we 
had  better  turn  in." 

A  sharp  lockout  was  maintained  during  the 
hours  of  the  morning  watch,  for  the  conjectures 
and  calculations  of  the  captain  might  prove  to  be 
all  wrong.  It  was  possible  that  the  Dornoch  had 
proceeded  directly  to  the  southward,  after  making 
less  easting  than  was  anticipated.     Nothing  was 


154  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

seen  of  any  steamer.  But  in  the  middle  of  the 
forenoon  watch  a  long  and  rather  faint  streak  of 
black  was  discovered  in  the  east.  The  Dornoch 
was  not  exactly  a  blockade-runner,  and  doubtless 
she  used  soft  coal,  though  anthracite  was  beginning 
to  come  into  use  in  other  than  American  steamers, 
for  its  smoke  was  less  likely  to  betray  them. 

"I  think  we  have  figured  this  matter  out 
correctly,  Mr.  Passford,"  said  Captain  Chantor,  as 
they  gazed  at  the  attenuated  streak  of  black. 

"  Captain  Rombold  is  a  very  competent  officer, 
and  you  and  he  seem  to  have  agreed  in  your 
calculations,"  added  Christy. 

The  steamer  to  the  eastward  soon  came  in 
sight ;  she  and  the  Chateaugay  were  headed  for 
the  same  point,  and  by  noon  they  were  in  plain 
sight  of  each  other.  -In  another  hour  they  were 
within  hailing  distance. 

"  That  is  not  the  Dornoch,"  said  Chi-isty 
decidedly. 

"  No ;  she  is  much  larger  than  the  Dornoch," 
added  Mr.   Gilfleur. 

"  I  am  disappointed,"  replied  the  captain. 

The  steamer  showed  the  British  flag,  and  went 
on  her  Avay  to  the  south-west.     The  Chateaugay 


AT    THE    END    OF    THE    CHASE  155 

continued  on  her  course  without  change  till  eight 
bells  in  the  afternoon  watch,  when  a  heavier 
volume  of  smoke  was  descried  in  the  north-east. 
No  change  was  made  in  the  course,  and  at  the 
beginning  of  the  second  dog  watch  the  craft  from 
which  the  smoke  issued  could  be  seen  with  the 
naked  eye.  She  was  headed  to  the  south-west, 
and  it  was  evident  that  her  course  would  carry 
her  to  the  westward  of  the  Chateaugay.  The 
darkness  soon  settled  down  upon  the  ocean,  and 
the  port  light  of  the  stranger  showed  itself  over 
the  starboard  quarter  of  the  ship,  proving  that  it 
crossed  the  wake  of  the  other. 

The  action,  if  the  steamer  proved  to  be  the 
Dornoch,  must  be  deferred  till  the  next  morning. 
It  was  impossible  to  determine  what  she  was  in 
the  darkness,  and  Captain  Chantor  ordered  the 
course  to  be  changed  to  correspond  with  that  of 
the  stranger,  which  manifested  no  disposition  to 
get  away  from  her.  All  night  the  two  vessels 
maintained  the  same  relative  position,  and  both 
were  making  about  ten  knots  an  hour.  At  day- 
light in  the  morning  the  commander  and  Christy 
were  on  the  quarter-deck,  anxiously  observing  the 
stranger.  She  was  carefully  examined  with  the 
glasses. 


156  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

"  That  is  the  Doinocli !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Gilfleur, 
after  a  long  inspection  with  the  glass. 

"  No  doubt  of  it,"  added  Christy. 

"  You  are  sure  of  it?  "  inquired  the  commander. 

"We  have  both  been  on  board  of  her,  and  I 
am  perfectly  sure  of  it,"  rej)lied  Christy,  who 
proceeded  to  explain  the  details  by  which  he 
identified  her;  and  the  captain  was  entirely 
satisfied. 

The  Dornoch  was  not  more  than  two  miles 
distant  from  the  Chateangay,  for  in  the  early 
morning  hours  the  course  had  been  changed  a 
couple  of  points,  to  bring  her  nearer  for  examina- 
tion. It  was  now  a  chase,  and  the  chief  engineer 
was  instructed  to  give  the  ship  her  best  speed. 
It  was  soon  evident  that  the  Dornoch  was  hurry- 
ing her  pace,  for  her  smoke-stacks  were  vomiting 
forth  immense  inky  clouds. 

"  I  doubt  if  Captain  Ronibold  cares  to  fight 
with  my  uncle  on  board,"  said  Christy.  "  He 
can  see  that  the  Chateangay  is  of  heavier  metal 
than  the  Dornoch." 

"  I  should  suppose  that  it  would  be  his  first 
care,  as  perhaps  he  regards  it  as  his  first  duty,  to 
put  his  passenger  on  board  of  a  steamer  bound  to 


AT  THE  END  OF  THE  CHASE       157 

England,"  added  the  commander.  "  It  appears 
to  be  a  question  of  speed  just  now." 

The  Chateaugay  was  driven  to  her  utmost,  and 
it  was  soon  clear  that  she  was  too  much  for  her 
antagonist.  At  two  bells  in  the  forenoon  watch 
she  was  about  a  mile  abreast  of  the  chase,  which 
had  not  yet  shown  her  colors.  The  flag  of  the 
United  States  floated  at  the  peak,  and  the  com- 
mander ordered  a  shot  to  be  fired  across  the 
forefoot  of  the  Dornoch. 

This  was  an  order  for  her  to  come  to ;  but, 
instead  of  doing  so,  she  flung  out  the  Con- 
federate flag,  and  fired  a  shotted  gun,  the  ball 
from  which  whizzed  over  the  heads  of  the  Chateau- 
gay's  officers  on  the  quarter-deck. 


158  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 


CHAPTER  XIV 

AN  EASY  VICTORY 

The  shot  from  the  Dornoch,  which  had  evi- 
dently been  intended  to  hit  the  Chateaugay,  suffi- 
ciently indicated  the  purpose  of  her  commander. 
On  board  of  either  steamer  there  could  be  no 
doubt  in  regard  to  the  character  of  the  other. 
Captain  Chantor  gave  the  order  to  beat  to  quar- 
ters, and  in  a  few  moments  every  officer  and  sea- 
man was  at  his  station. 

Christy  Passford  went  to  his  stateroom,  buckled 
on  his  sword  belt,  and  prepared  his  revolvers  fot 
use ;  for  though  he  held  no  position  on  board  of  the 
Chateaugay,  he  did  not  intend  to  remain  idle  dur- 
ing the  action,  and  was  ready  to  serve  as  a  volun- 
teer. Mr.  Gilfleur  came  to  the  open  door  of  his 
room,  and  seemed  to  be  somewhat  astonished  to 
observe  his  preparations. 

"You  appear  to  be  ready  for  duty,  Mr.  Passford, 
though  you  are  not  attached  to  this  ship,"  said  lie. 


AN  EASY   VICTORY  159 

"I  have  no  position  on  board  of  the  Cha- 
teaugay;  but  it  would  be  quite  impossible  for  me 
to  remain  inactive  while  my  country  needs  my  ser- 
vices, even  as  a  supernumerary,"  replied  Christy. 

"But  what  am  I  to  do?"  asked  the  detective, 
with  a  puzzled  expression  on  his  face. 

"  Nothing  at  all,  Mr.  Gilfleur ;  I  regard  you  as  a 
non-combatant,  and  I  think  you  had  better  remain 
in  your  stateroom,"  replied  Christy.  "  But  I 
must  go  on  deck." 

The  Frenchman  followed  him  to  the  quarter- 
deck, and  seemed  to  be  inclined  to  take  a  hand  in 
the  conflict.  He  desired  to  be  an  American  citi- 
zen, and  possibly  he  believed  he  could  win  his  title 
to  this  distinction  in  a  battle  better  than  by  any 
other  means.  But  he  had  no  naval  training,  could 
be  of  no  service  at  the  guns,  and  was  more  likely 
to  be  in  the  way  of  others  than  to  accomplish  any- 
thing of  value.  It  was  a  needless  risk,  and  the 
captain  suggested  that  his  life  was  too  valuable  to 
his  adopted  country  for  him  to  expose  himself 
before  his  mission  had  been  accomplished.  He 
stepped  aside,  but  he  was  not  willing  to  go  below. 

"I  desire  to  offer  my  services  as  a  volunteer, 
Captain  Chantor,"  said  Christy,  saluting  the  com- 


160  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

mander.  "  If  you  will  assign  me  to  any  position 
on  deck,  though  it  be  nothing  more  than  a  station 
at  one  of  the  guns,  I  will  endeavor  to  do  my  duty." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  you  would  do  your  whole 
duty,  Mr.  Passford,"  replied  the  captain,  taking 
him  by  the  hand.  "  You  can  be  of  more  service 
to  me  as  an  adviser  than  as  a  hand  at  a  gun.  It  is 
plain  enough  that  the  commander  of  the  Dornoch 
intends  to  fight  as  long  as  there  is  anything  left  of 
him  or  his  ship.  Your  report  of  liim  gives  me 
that  assurance." 

"  I  suppose  by  this  time,  Captain  Chantor,  you 
have  arranged  your  plan  for  the  action,"  added 
Christy,  looking  curiously  into  the  face  of  the 
commander,  though  he  had  resolved  to  give  no 
advice  and  to  make  no  suggestions  unless  directly 
requested  to  do  so. 

"  I  suppose  the  only  way  is  to  pound  the  enemy 
till  he  has  had  enough  of  it,  using  such  strategy 
as  the  occasion  may  require.  According  to  your 
report  we  outweigh  her  in  metal,  and  we  have 
proved  that  we  can  outdo  her  in  speed,"  replied 
Captain  Chantor. 

"  But  the  Dornoch  will  have  the  privilege  of 
pounding  the  Chateaugay  at  the  same  time,"  said 


AN    EASY   VICTORY  161 

Christy  in  a  very  low  tone,  so  that  no  one  could 
hear  him. 

"  That  is  very  true ;  of  course  we  must  expect 
to  take  as  good  as  we  scikI." 

"But  then  what  use  shall  you  make  of  your 
advantage  in  speed  and  weight  of  metal?"  asked 
the  passenger  very  quietly.  "We  both  believe 
that  there  is  humanity  in  war  as  well  as  in  peace." 

At  that  moment  a  shot  passed  under  the  counter 
of  the  ship,  and  buried  itself  in  the  water  a  cable's 
length  beyond  her. 

"  That  is  good  practice,  Captain  Chantor,"  said 
Christy.  "  That  shot  was  aimed  at  your  rudder ; 
and  I  have  no  doubt  Captain  Rombold  is  seeking 
to  cripple  you  by  shooting  it  away." 

"I  believe  in  humanity  in  war;  but  I  do  not 
see  where  it  comes  in  just  now,  except  in  a  very 
general  way,"  replied  the  captain. 

"  If  the  Dornoch  cripples  you,  and  then  takes 
her  own  time  to  knock  the  Chateaugay  to  pieces, 
it  will  amount  to  the  sacrifice  of  many  lives,"  sug- 
gested the  unattached  officer. 

"I  sheuld  be  very  glad  to  have  your  opinion,  Mr. 
Passford,"  added  the  commander. 

"  I  certainly  do  not  desire  to  thrust  my  opinion 


162  FIGHTING   FOE,   THE   EIGHT 

Upon   you,    Captain    Chantor;    but   as   you   have 
asked  for  it,  I  will  express  myself  freely." 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Passford." 

"  I  should  adopt  the  tactics  of  Commodore 
Dupont  at  Port  Royai." 

"  In  other  words,  you  would  keep  sailing  around 
the  Dornoch." 

"Precisely  so.  I  would  not  give  him  a  shot 
till  I  was  out  of  the  reach  of  his  broadside  guns." 

"  And  then  pound  her  with  the  midship  gun. 
That  is  my  idea  exactly.  Quartermaster,  strike 
one  bell." 

"  One  bell,  sir." 

"Strike  four  bells,  quartermaster,"  added  the 
captain. 

"  Four  bells,  sir." 

The  Chateaugay  was  soon  going  ahead  at  her 
best  speed,  headed  directly  away  from  tlie  Dor- 
noch, and  it  would  have  looked  to  an  observer  as 
though  she  was  running  away  from  her.  At  any 
rate,  the  enemy  made  this  interpretation  of  her 
movement,  and  immediately  gave  chase,  opening 
fire  upon  the  ship  with  her  bow  guns.  Presently 
she  fired  her  heavy  midship  gun,  the  shot  from 
which  would  have  made  havoc  if  it  had  hit  the 


AN   EASY    VICTOllY  163 

mark.  It  was  soon  evident  that  the  enemy's 
speed  had  been  overrated,  for  the  Chateaiigay 
gained  rapidly  upon  her.  A  shot  from  her  lieavy 
gun  knocked  off  the  upper  works  on  one  side  of 
the  Eleuthera,  but  did  no  other  damage. 

At  the  end  of  two  hours  even  the  heavy  gun  of 
the  enemy  could  not  carry  its  shot  to  the  chase. 
It  would  have  been  easy  enough  to  run  away  from 
the  Dornoch ;  but  this  was  by  no  means  the  inten- 
tion of  Captain  Chantor.  He  was  very  cool  and 
self-possessed,  and  he  did  not  ask  his  passenger 
for  any  further  suggestions.  He  understood  his 
business  thoroughly,  though  he  had  at  first  been 
disposed  to  make  shorter  work  of  the  action  than 
he  had  now  adopted.  As  soon  as  he  had  obtained 
his  distance,  he  gave  the  order  to  bring  the  ship 
about.  Thus  far  he  had  not  fired  a  gun,  and  the 
enemy  had  apparently  had  it  all  his  own  way. 

The  midship  was  in  readiness  to  initiate  the 
work  of  the  Chateaugay.  At  the  proper  moment, 
the  gunner  himself  sighted  the  piece,  the  lock 
string  was  operated,  and  the  hull  of  the  ship 
shook  under  the  discharge.  Christy  had  a  spy- 
glass to  his  eye,  levelled  at  the  Dornoch,  She 
had  just  begun  to  change  her  course  to  conform  to 


164  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

that  of  the  Chateaugay,  and  the  observer  on  the 
quarter-deck  discovered  the  splinters  flying  about 
her  forecastle.  The  shot  appeared  to  have  struck 
at  the  heel  of  the  bowsprit. 

"  That  was  well  done,  Captain  Clmntor,"  said 
Christy. 

"  Excellently  well  done  ;  but  Mr.  Turreton  will 
improve  when  he  gets  his  range  a  little  better," 
replied  the  captain. 

At  this  moment  the  report  of  the  Dornoch's  great 
gun  was  heard  again  ;  but  the  shot  fell  considerably 
sliort  of  the  Chateaugay.  At  the  same  time  she 
was  crowding  on  all  the  steam  she  could  make, 
and  Captain  Chantor  was  manoeuvring  his  ship  so 
as  to  maintain  his  distance.  The  midship  gun 
was  kept  as  busy  as  possible,  and  Mr.  Turreton 
improved  his  practice  very  materially.  Fought  in 
this  manner,  the  action  was  not  very  exciting. 
The  ship  followed  her  circular  course,  varying  it 
only  to  maintain  the  distance.  For  several  hours 
the  unequal  battle  continued.  The  mainmast  of 
the  Dornoch  had  been  shot  away,  and  Christy, 
with  his  glass,  saw  several  of  the  liuge  shots  crash 
into  her  bow. 

It  was  evident,  after  pounding  her  a  good  part 


AN   EASY   VICTORY  165 

of  the  clay,  that  the  enemy  could  not  stand  much 
more  of  this  punishment.  At  eight  bells  in  the 
afternoon  watch  she  hauled  down  her  flag. 
Christy  had  done  nothing  but  watch  the  Dornoch, 
and  report  to  Captain  Chantor.  As  her  flag  came 
down,  he  discovered  that  her.  condition,  after  the 
last  shot,  was  becoming  desperate. 

"  She  has  settled  considerably  in  the  water, 
Captain  Chantor,  and  that  is  evidently  the  reason 
why  she  hauled  down  her  flag,"  said  Christy,  just 
as  the  ship's  company  were  cheering  at  the  dis- 
appearance of  the  Confederate  flag  from  the  peak 
of  the  enemy. 

"I  was  confident  she  could  not  endure  much 
more  such  hulling  as  Mr.  Ttirreton  has  ,been 
bestowing  upon  her,"  replied  the  commander,  after 
he  had  given  the  order  to  make  the  course  directly 
towards  the  Dornoch. 

Christy  continued  to  watch  the  enemy's  vessel. 
The  ship's  company  were  employed  in  stretching  a 
sail  over  the  bow,  evidently  for  the  purpose  of 
stopping  in  whole  or  partially  a  dangerous  leak  in 
that  part  of  the  vessel ;  and  she  seemed  to  be  in 
immediate  peril  of  going  to  the  bottom.  They 
were  also  getting  their  boats  ready,  and  the  situa- 


166  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

tion  must  have  been  critical.  In  a  short  time  the 
Chateaugay  was  witliin  liailing  distance  of  her 
prize. 

"  Dornoch,  ahoy !  "  shouted  Captain  Chantor, 
mounted  on  the  port  rail.     "  Do  you  surrender  ?  " 

"  I  do,"  replied  Captain  Rombold ;  for  Christy 
recognized  his  voice.     "  Our  ship  is  sinking  !  " 

By  this  time  the  havoc  made  by  the  big  gun  of 
the  Chateaugay  could  be  seen  and  estimated.  The 
bow  of  the  steamer  had  been  nearly  all  shot 
away.  Her  bowsprit  and  her  mainmast  had  gone 
by  the  board.  Her  bulwarks  were  stove  in,  and 
most  of  her  boats  appeared  to  have  been  knocked 
to  pieces.  In  spite  of  the  efforts  to  keep  her 
afloait,  it  was  plain  that  she  was  sinking;  and 
Christy  could  see  her  settling  in  the  water.  The 
boats  of  the  victor  were  promptly  lowered,  and 
crews  sent  away  in  them  to  the  relief  of  the  im- 
perilled enemy.  There  were  not  more  than  sixty 
men  on  board  of  her,  including  the  officers ;  and 
they  were  soon  transferred  to  the  deck  of  the 
Chateaugay. 

Christy  watched  the  boats  with  the  most  intense 
interest  as  they  came  alongside  the  ship ;  for  he 
knew  that  his  Uncle  Homer  was  on  board  of  the 


AN   EASY   VICTORY  167 

Dornoch,  if  tlie  plans  arranged  at  the  hotel  had 
been  fully  carried  out.  Captain  Eombold  came 
in  the  last  boat,  and  Colonel  Passford  was  with 
him.  His  nephew  did  not  care  to  meet  him  just 
then.  The  Confederate  commissioner  caiiie  on 
deck ;  and  Christy  looked  at  him  with  interest 
from  behind  the  mizzenmast.  His  expression  tes- 
tified to  his  grief  afid  sorrow  at  the  early  failure 
of  his  mission.  The  young  lieutenant  could  pity 
the  man,  while  he  rejoiced  at  liis  ill  success  in 
building  up  the  navy  of  the  Confederacy. 

His  attention  was  drawn  off  from  his  uncle  by 
the  sudden  sinking  of  the  Dornoch ;  and  the  vor- 
tex that  followed  her  disappearance  extended  to 
the  Chateaugay.  Most  of  the  officers  and  seamen 
had  brought  off  the  whole  or  a  part  of  their  cloth- 
ing and  other  articles. 

When  Captain  Rombold  came  on  deck.  Captain 
Chantor  politely  saluted  him,  and  returned  the 
sword  he  surrendered  to  him.  Colonel  Passford 
kept  close  to  him ;  and  Cliristy  thought  he  looked 
dazed  and  vacant. 

"  While  I  must  rejoice  in  my  own  good  fortune, 
Captain  Rombold,  I  can  sympathize  personally 
with  a  brave  commander  who  has  lost  his  ship," 


168  FIGHTING    FOR    THE    RIGHT 

said  Captain  Chantor,  taking  the  hand  of  the  late 
commander  of  the  Dornoch. 

"  I  thank  you  for  yom-  consideration,  Captain. 
I  am  sorry  to  have  been  so  easy  a  victim  to  your 
strategy ;  and  I  can  reciprocate  by  congratulating 
you  on  your  victory,  though  your  better  guns 
enabled  you  to  knock  my  ship  to  pieces  at  your 
leisure,"  replied  Captain  Rombold. 

He  then  introduced  Colonel  Passford,  and  both 
of  them  were  invited  to  the  captain's  cabin.  The 
wounded  were  turned  over  to  the  surgeon,  and 
the  crew  were  sent  below.  It  was  clearly  impos- 
sible for  the  ship  to  continue  on  her  voyage  with 
such  an  addition  to  her  numbers ;  and  the  Cha- 
teaugay  was  at  once  headed  back  to  New  York. 


THE   GENTLEMAN   WITH   A   GRIZZLY   BEAIID     169 


CHAPTER   XV 

THE   GENTLEMAN  WITH   A    GRIZZLY  BEARD 

The  addition  of  about  sixty  persons  to  the  full 
complement  of  the  ship's  company  of  the  Cha- 
teaugay  made  a  considerable  crowd  on  board  of 
her;  but  accommodations  Avere  provided  for  all, 
and  in  three  days  the  ship  would  deliver  her 
human  freight  to  the  authorities  in  New  York. 
The  Dornoch  had  gone  to  the  bottom  with  all  her 
valuable  cargo ;  but  her  captors  would  be  remu- 
nerated in  prize-money  by  the  government,  so  that 
in  a  material  point  of  view  she  was  not  lost  to 
them,  and  there  was  one  less  cruiser  to  prey  upon 
the  commerce  of  the  loyal  nation. 

Captain  Rombold  and  Colonel  Passford  remained 
in  the  cabin  all  the  rest  of  the  day ;  but  the  next 
morning  both  of  them  went  on  deck  to  take  the 
fresh  air.  Christy  and  Mr.  Gilfleur  were  in  the 
waist,  and  noticed  them  as  soon  as  they  appeared. 
They   had   had   some     conversation   the    evening 


170  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

before  in  regard  to  confronting  the  two  most  im- 
portant prisoners,  though  without  arriving  at  a 
conclusion. 

"  Of  course  I  must  meet  my  uncle,"  said  Christy. 
"  I  am  not  inclined  to  skulk  and  keep  out  of  sight 
rather  than  meet  him.  Though  I  have  assisted  in 
doing  him  and  his  cause  a  great  deal  of  mischief, 
I  have  done  it  in  the  service  of  my  country ;  and 
I  have  no  excuses  to  offer,  and  no  apologies  to 
make." 

"  I  was  not  thinking  of  excusing  myself,  or 
apologizing  for  what  I  have  done,"  replied  the 
detective  quite  earnestly.  "  That  is  not  the  point 
I  desire  to  make.  Since  I  went  to  New  York  I 
have  looked  upon  your  country  as  my  own  ;  and 
I  would  do  as  much  to  serve  her  as  I  ever  would 
have  done  for  France." 

"  What  is  your  point,  Mr.  Gilfleur  ? "  asked 
Christy. 

"  I  do  not  object  to  your  fraternizing  with  your 
uncle,  Mr.  Passford,  if  you  are  so  disposed,"  con- 
tinued the  Frenchman ;  "  but  the  case  is  quite  dif- 
ferent with  me.  In  the  hotel  at  St.  George's  you 
were  not  presented  to  Captain  Rombold,  and  you 
did  not  allow  the  Confederate  commissioner  to  see 


THE   GENTLEMAN    WITH    A    GRIZZLY    BEARD       171 

and  identify  you.  Neither  of  these  gentlemen 
recognized  you  ;  but  the  captain  of  the  Dornocli 
would  certainly  know  me,  for  I  talked  with  him  a 
long  time." 

"  Suppose  both  of  them  know  us :  what,differ- 
ence  will  that  make  ?  "  demanded  the  young  lieu- 
tenant. 

"  It  will  explain  to  them  in  what  manner  we 
obtained  our  knowledge  of  the  force  and  weight  of 
metal  of  the  Dornoch.  While  we  had  as  good  a 
right  to  be  on  shore  in  the  Bermudas  as  the  Con- 
federates, if  we  were  recognized  our  method  of 
operations  would  be  betrayed,  and  in  my  opinion 
that  would  be  very  bad  policy,  especially  as  we  are 
to  adopt  the  same  strategy  in  the  Bahamas." 

"  I  see ;  and  I  agree  with  you,  Mr.  Gilfleur,  that 
it  will  be  good  policy  to  keep  our  own  counsel  in 
regard  to  what  we  have  done  in  the  islands,"  added 
Christy,  as  he  saw  Captain  Chantor  approaching 
him. 

"  Good-morning,  Mr.  Passford.  You  and  your 
uncle  do  not  appear  to  be  on  very  friendly  terms, 
for  I  notice  that  you  do  not  speak  to  each  other." 

"  Our  relations  have  always  been  friendly,  even 
while  I  was  in  a  rebel  prison ;  but  I  have  not  hap- 


172  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

pened  to  meet  him  since  he  came  on  board  of  the 
Chateaugay." 

'■'■  I  will  present  you  to  him  as  his  nephew,  if  you 
desire  me  to  do  so,"  continued  the  commander 
with  a  smile. 

"  I  thank  you,  Captain :  I  intended  to  speak  to 
him  when  an  opportunity  came.  But  you  will 
pardon  me  if  I  make  a  suggestion  without  being 
asked  to  do  so,"  said  Christy,  speaking  in  a  low 
tone ;  and  he  proceeded  to  state  what  had  passed 
between  him  and  Mr.  Gilfleur.  "  I  hope  you  have 
not  mentioned  the  fact  that  Mr.  Gilfleur  and  my- 
self have  been  in  the  Bermudas." 

"  I  have  not,  for  it  came  to  my  mind  that  it  would 
be  very  unwise  to  do  so,"  replied  the  captain. 
"  Besides,  I  was  not  at  all  inclined  to  tell  Captain 
Rombold  that  I  knew  all  about  his  ship,  her  size, 
the  number  of  her  ship's  company,  and  the  weight 
of  his  guns.  A  man  does  not  feel  just  right  when 
he  finds  he  has  been  made  the  victim  of  a  bit  of 
strategy ;  and  I  was  disposed  to  spare  his  feelings. 
He  charges  his  misfortune  altogether  to  his  anti- 
quated steamer,  her  failure  in  her  promised  speed, 
and  the  neglect  of  the  Confederate  commissioners 
to  provide  him  with  a  suitable  vessel." 


THE   GENTLEMAN   WITH   A   GRIZZLY   BEARD     173 

"  Mr.  Gilfleur  will  keep  out  of  the  captain's 
sight  during  the  run  to  New  York ;  but  I  was  act- 
ing as  a  servant  when  we  met  him,  and  did  not  sit 
at  the  same  table.     I  will  speak  to  my  uncle  now." 

Captain  Chantor  attended  him  to  the  quarter- 
deck, where  the  commissioner  was  taking  his  morn- 
ing walk.  They  fell  in  behind  him  as  he  was 
moving  aft,  so  that  he  did  not  observe  his  nephew. 

"  Colonel  Passford,  I  have  a  young  gentleman 
on  board  of  my  ship  who  bears  your  name ;  allow 
me  to  present  to  you  Lieutenant  Christopher  Pass- 
ford,  who  is  simply  a  passenger  on  the  Chateaugay," 
said  the  captain,  directing  the  attention  of  the 
commissioner  to  the  young  man. 

"  My  nephew !  "  exclaimed  Colonel  Passford,  as 
he  recognized  Christy,  and  extended  his  hand  to 
him. 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  see  you.  Uncle  Homer, 
though  I  am  sorry  to  meet  you  under  present  cir- 
cumstances," replied  the  nephew,  taking  the  offered 
hand.     "  I  hope  you  are  very  well,  sir." 

"  Not  very  well,  Christy ;  and  I  am  not  likely  to 
improve  in  health  in  a  Yankee  prison,"  answered 
tlie  colonel  with  a  very  sickly  smile. 

"  Probably  my  father  will  be   able  to   obtain  a 


174  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

parole  for  you,  and  he  will  be  extremely  glad  to 
have  you  with  him  at  Bonnydale,"  added  Christy. 

"  The  last  time  I  met  you,  Christy,  you  looked 
upon  me  as  a  non-combatant,  released  me,  and  sent 
me  on  shore." 

"  I  am  not  sure  that  I  did  wisely  at  that  time." 

"  I  was  not  taken  in  arms ;  and  I  could  hardly 
be  regarded  as  a  prisoner  of  war." 

"  But  you  were  engaged  in  the  Confederate  ser- 
vice, Uncle  Homer,  for  you  were  shipping  cotton 
for  the  benefit  of  the  cause." 

"  But  I  was  merely  a  passenger  on  board  of  the 
Dornoch." 

"  Yet  you  are  a  Confederate  commissioner,  seek- 
ing a  passage  in  some  vessel  bound  to  England,  for 
the  purpose  of  purchasing  steamers  to  serve  in  your 
navy,"  added  Christy  with  considerable  energy, 
and  without  thinking  that  he  was  in  danger  of 
compromising  himself  and  his  companion  in  the 
visit  to  the  Bermudas. 

Colonel  Passford  stopped  short,  and  gazed  into 
the  face  of  his  nephew.  He  appeared  to  be  utterly 
confounded  by  the  statement,  though  he  did  not 
deny  the  truth  of  it. 

"  Without  admitting  the  truth  of  what  you  say, 


THE  GENTLEINIAN  WITH  A  GRIZZLY  BEARD     175 

Christy,  I  desire  to  ask  upon  what  your  statement 
is  founded,"  said  the  commissioner,  after  some  hesi- 
tation. 

"  As  you  are  on  one  side  in  this  great  conflict, 
and  I  am  on  the  other,  you  must  excuse  me  for  not 
answering  your  question,"  rephed  Christy  very 
promptly,  and  declining  to  commit  himself  any 
farther. 

"  It  is  very  sad  to  have  our  family  divided  so 
that  we  should  be  enemies,  however  friendly  we 
may  be  personally,"  added  Colonel  Passford  in  a 
tone  that  indicated  his  profound  grief  and  sorrow. 

"  I  know  how  useless  it  is  for  us  to  discuss  the 
question,  Uncle  Homer,  for  I  am  sure  you  are  as 
honest  in  your  views  as  my  father  is  in  his." 

"  I  have  no  desire  to  argue  the  question ;  but  I 
believe  the  North  will  come  to  its  senses  in  good 
time  —  when  the  grass  grows  in  the  streets  of  New 
York,  if  not  before." 

"  You  will  have  an  opportunity  to  see  for  your- 
self. Uncle  Homer,  that  New  York  was  never  so 
busy,  never  so  prosperous,  as  at  the  present  time  j 
and  the  same  may  be  truthfully  said  of  all  the 
cities  of  the  North,"  replied  Christy  with  spirit. 

"  Sail,  ho  !  "  shouted  the  lookout  forward. 


176  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

An  hour  later  the  sail  was  reported  to  be  a 
steamer,  bound  to  the  westward,  and  her  streak  of 
black  smoke  indicated  that  she  was  English.  She 
was  low  in  the  water,  had  two  smoke-stacks,  and 
presented  a  very  rakish  apj)earance.  She  was  a 
vessel  of  not  more  than  eight  hundred  tons,  and 
her  build  was  quite  peculiar.  It  was  evident  that 
she  was  a  very  fast  steamer.  But  she  seemed  to 
have  no  suspicions  in  regard  to  the  character  of  the 
Chateaugay. 

Christy  left  his  uncle,  and  went  to  the  ward  room, 
where  he  found  Mr.  Gilfleur  in  his  stateroom.  He 
desired  the  advice  of  the  Frenchman  before  he 
said  anything  to  the  captain  in  regard  to  the  ap- 
proaching sail.  Together  they  had  looked  over  all 
the  steamers  in  the  liarbor  of  St.  George's,  and 
those  on  board  of  them  were  not  disposed  to  conceal 
the  fact  that  they  were  to  run  the  blockade  as  soon 
as  they  could  get  over  to  the  coast  of  the  United 
States. 

"  What  have  you  been  doing  to  j^ourself,  Mr. 
Gilfleur?"  asked  Christy,  as  soon  as  he  discovered 
the  detective,  for  he  liad  completely  changed  his 
appearance,  and  looked  like  an  elderly  gentleman 
of  fifty,  with  a  full  beard,  grizzled  with  the  snows 
of  many  winters. 


THE  GENTLEMAN   WITH  A  GRIZZLY  BEARD      177 

"I  don't  care  to  be  shut  up  in  this  stateroom 
during  the  voyage  to  New  York,"  replied  the 
Frenchman  with  a  pleasant  laugh.  "  This  is  one 
of  my  useful  costumes,  and  I  don't  believe  Captain 
Rombold  will  recognize  me  now." 

"  I  am  very  sure  he  will  not,"  added  Christy, 
looking  him  over,  and  wondering  at  the  skill 
which  could  so  completely  change  his  appearance. 

"  I  want  you  to  see  the  steamer  which  is  ap- 
proaching, bound  to  the  westward.  If  I  am  not 
mistaken,  we  have  seen  her  before." 

"  I  am  all  ready,  and  I  will  go  on  deck  with 
you ;  but  you  must  contrive  to  let  the  captain 
know  who  I  am,  or  he  will  order  me  below,  or  have 
too  much  to  say  about  me,"  replied  the  detective, 
as  he  followed  Christ}^  to  the  quarter-deck. 

Colone'l  Passford  and  Captain  Rombold  had 
seated  themselves  abaft  the  mizzenmast,  and 
seemed  to  be  interested  in  the  reports  respecting 
the  approaching  steamer.  Christy  called  Captain 
Chantor  to  the  rail,  and  explained  what  the  com- 
mander had  already  scented  as  a  mystery  in  regard 
to  the  gentleman  with  the  grizzled  beard.  He 
laughed  heartily  as  he  gazed  at  the  apparent 
stranger,  and  declared  that  he  thought  he  might 


178  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

be  another  Confederate  commissioner,  for  he  looked 
respectable  and  dignified  enough  to  be  one. 

"  I  think  that  steamer  is  the  Cadet,  Captain 
Chantor ;  and  I  have  brought  Mr.  Gilfleur  on  deck 
to  take  a  look  at  her." 

The  Frenchman  had  no  doubt  the  steamer  was 
the  Cadet,  for  she  was  peculiar  enough  in  her 
build  to  be  identified  among  a  thousand  vessels  of 
her  class.  For  some  time  they  discussed  the  char- 
acter of  the  vessel,  and  minutely  examined  her 
build  and  rig.  Neither  of  them  had  any  doubt 
as  to  her  identity,  and  the  passenger  reported 
the  result  of  the  conference  to  the  commander, 
who  immediately  ordered  the  American  flag  to  be 
displayed  at  the  peak  ;  and  gave  the  command  to 
beat  to  quarters. 

"  We  are  over  six  hundred  miles  from  any  Con- 
federate port,  Mr.  Passford,"  said  the  captain. 
"I  should  not  like  to  have  one  of  my  captures 
surrendered  to  her  owners." 

"  Of  course  you  have  your  law  books  in  your 
cabin,  Captain ;  but  I  have  studied  them  so  much 
that  I  can  quote  literally  from  one  bearing  on  this 
case,"  continued  Christy.  " '  The  sailing  for  a 
blockaded  port,  knowing  it  to  be  blockaded,  is,  it 


THE   GENTLEMAN   WITH  A   GEIZZLY  BEAED      179 

seems,  such  an  act  as  may  charge  the  party  with  a 
breach  of  the  blockade.'  Besides  the  evidence  of 
lier  course,  and  that  of  the  nature  of  her  cargo, 
there  are  two  witnesses  to  the  declaration  of  the 
captain  that  he  was  intending  to  run  into  Wil- 
mington." 

"  She  has  come  about,  and  is  running  away  from 
you.  Captain  !  "  exclaimed  the  passenger,  who  was 
the  first  on  the  quarter-deck  to  notice  this  change. 

The  commander  ordered  a  gun  to  be  fired  across 
her  bow,  for  the  Cadet  was  hardly  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  Chateaugay.  No  notice 
was  taken  of  the  shot,  and  a  moment  later  the 
midship  gun  sent  a  shot  which  carried  away  her 
pilot-house  and  disabled  the  wheel. 


180  FIGHTING  FOR   THE   EIGHT 


CHAPTER    XVI 

AMONG   THE   BAHAMAS 

"  I  AM  sorry  to  disturb  you,  gentlemen,  but  I 
feel  obliged  to  ask  you  to  retire  to  my  cabin  until 
this  affair  is  settled,"  said  Captain  Chantor,  ad- 
dressing Colonel  Passford  and  Captain  Rombold. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon.  Captain  Chantor,  but  do 
you  consider  that  you  have  a  right  to  capture  that 
steamer  ?"  asked  the  late  commander  of  the  Dor- 
noch, who  seemed  to  be  very  much  disturbed  at 
the  proceedings  of  his  captor. 

"  Undoubtedly ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  I  shall  be 
able  to  procure  her  condemnation  on  the  ground 
that  she  is  loaded  for  a  Confederate  port,  no  other 
than  Wilmington,  and  has  the  '  guilty  intention  ' 
to  run  the  blockade." 

"  I  don't  see  where  you  could  have  obtained  the 
information  that  enables  you  to  make  sure  of  her 
condemnation  at  the  very  first  sight  of  her," 
replied  the  Confederate  officer-. 


m^ 


AMONG   THE   BAHAMAS  181 

"  Well,  Captain  Rombold,  if  I  succeed  in  prov- 
ing my  position  before  the  court,  out  of  the  mouth 
of  Captain  Vickers,  her  commander,  would  that 
satisfy  you  ?  "  asked  the  commander  with  a  cheer- 
ful smile.  "  But  you  must  excuse  me  from  dis- 
cussing the  matter  to  any  greater  length,  for  I 
have  a  duty  to  perform  at  the  present  time." 

The  Chateaugay  was  going  ahead  at  full  speed 
when  the  two  gentlemen  retired  from  the  quarter- 
deck. She  stopped  her  screw  witliin  hail  of  the 
Cadet.  Her  crew  were  clearing  away  the  wreck 
of  the  pilot-house  ;  but  the  destruction  of  her 
steering  gear  forward  did  not  permit  her  to  keep 
under  way,  though  hands  were  at  work  on  the 
quarter-deck  putting  her  extra  wheel  in  order  for 
use.  Of  course  it  was  plain  enough  to  the  captain 
of  the  Cadet  that  the  Chateaugay,  after  the  mis- 
chief she  had  done  with  a  single  shot,  could  knock 
the  steamer  all  to  pieces  in  a  few  minutes. 

The  first  cutter,  in  charge  of  Mr.  Birdwino-,  the 
executive  officer,  was  sent  on  board  of  the  disabled 
steamer,  and  Christy  was  invited  to  take  a  place 
in  the  boat.  Captain  Vickers  was  a  broken-hearted 
man  when  he  realized  that  his  vessel  was  actually 
captured  by  a  United  States  man-of-war. 


182  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

"  Do  you  surrender,  Captain  Vickers  ?  "  said  ]\Ir. 
Birdwing,  as  he  saluted  the  disconsolate  comman- 
der. 

"  How  did  you  know  my  name  ?  "  demanded  he 
gruffly. 

"  That  is  of  no  consequence,  Captain  Vickers. 
You  will  oblige  me  Ly  answering  my  question. 
Do  you  surrender  ?  "  continued  the  lieutenant. 

"  I  don't  know  that  I  can  help  myself,  for  this 
steamer  is  not  armed,  and  I  can  make  no  resist- 
ance," replied  the  captain,  "  I  had  no  idea  that 
ship  was  a  Yankee  gunboat." 

"  But  we  had  an  idea  that  this  was  a  blockade- 
runner,"  added  Mr-.  Birdwing,  as  he  proceeded  to 
take  formal  possession  of  the  vessel,  and  called 
for  her  papers. 

An  examination  was  made  into  the  character  of 
the  cargo,  which  consisted  largely  of  arms  and 
ammunition.  The  extra  wheel  was  soon  in  work- 
ing order.  Before  noon  a  prize  crew  was  put  on 
board,  and  both  vessels  were  headed  for  New  York. 
In  three  days  more  the  Chateaugay  was  at  anchor 
off  the  Navy  Yard,  with  the  Cadet  near  her.  The 
return  of  the  ship  caused  a  great  deal  of  surprise, 
and  one  of  the  first  persons  to   come  on  board  of 


AMONG    THE    BAHAMAS  183 

her  was  Captain  Passford.  He  gave  his  son  his 
usual  warm  welcome. 

Christy  gave  his  father  the  narrative  of  the  brief 
voyage,  and  astounded  him  with  the  information 
that  his  brother  was  on  board.  The  two  brothers 
had  not  met  since  they  parted  at  the  plantation 
near  Mobile,  and  the  meeting  was  as  tender  as  it 
was  sad ;  but  both  of  them  refrained  from  saying 
anything  unpleasant  in  regard  to  the  war.  The 
prisoners  were  taken  from  the  Chateaugay  by  a 
tender,  and  conveyed  to  Fort  Lafayette ;  but  Cap- 
tain Passford  soon  obtained  a  parole  for  his  brother, 
which  he  consented  to  give  for  a  limited  period. 

"  I  suppose  the  Chateaugay  will  sail  again  by 
to-morrow,  Christy  ;  but  you  will  have  time  to  go 
home  and  see  your  mother  and  sister.  I  am  so 
busy  that  I  cannot  go,  and  you  must  take  Uncle 
Homer  with  you,"  said  his  father. 

They  landed  on  the  New  York  side,  and  took  a 
carriage  for  the  station.  Perhaps  the  streets  of 
the  great  city  were  never  more  crowded  with  all 
kinds  of  vehicles,  and  especially  with  wagons 
loaded  with  merchandise  of  all  kinds.  They 
passed  up  Broadway,  and  Colonel  Passford  was 
silent  as  he  witnessed  the  marvellous  activity  of 
the  city  in  the  midst  of  a  great  war. 


184  FIGHTING   FOE   THE   EIGHT 

"  I  think  you  will  not  be  able  to  find  any  grass 
growing  in  the  streets  of  New  York,  Uncle  Homer," 
said  Christy,  as  they  passed  the  Park,  where  the 
crowd  seemed  to  be  greater  than  elsewhere. 

"  There  is  certainly  no  grass  here^  and  I  am  sur- 
prised to  see  that  the  city  is  as  busy  as  ever," 
replied  the  commissioner  in  a  subdued  tone.  "  We 
have  been  told  at  the  South  that  business  was  par- 
alyzed in  the  cities  of  the  North,  except  what  little 
was  created  by  the  war." 

"  The  war  makes  a  vast  amount  of  business. 
Uncle  Homer,"  added  Christy. 

But  the  gentleman  from  the  South  was  not  dis- 
posed to  talk,  and  he  soon  relapsed  into  silence. 
Mrs.  Passford  and  Florry  were  very  much  aston- 
ished to  see  Christy  again  so  soon,  and  even  more 
so  to  meet  Uncle  Homer ;  but  his  welcome  was 
cordial,  and  nothing  was  said  about  the  exciting 
topic  of  the  day.  The  visitor  was  treated  like  a 
friend,  and  not  an  enemy,  and  everything  was  done 
to  make  him  forget  that  he  was  not  in  his  own 
home. 

Early  the  next  morning  the  young  lieutenant 
hastened  to  report  on  board  of  the  Chateaugay, 
where  Mr.  Gilfieur  had  remained,  though  he  had 


AMONG    THE    BAHAMAS  185 

divested  himself  of  his  disguise  as  soon  as  Captain 
Rombold  was  convejed  to  other  quarters.  They 
were  kept  very  busy  that  day  giving  their  deposi- 
tions in  regard  to  the  character  of  the  Cadet,  and 
of  the  admissions  of  Captain  Vickers  in  regard  to 
his  intention  to  run  the  blockade.  The  ship  had 
been  coaled,  and  the  next  day  she  sailed  again. 
She  gave  the  Bermudas  a  wide  berth,  for  she  had 
another  mission  now,  though  she  could  probably 
have  picked  up  one  or  two  more  of  the  blockade- 
runners  Christy  and  his  companion  had  seen  in  the 
harbor  of  St.  Georo-e's. 

Four  days  from  Sandy  Hook,  very  early  in  the 
morning,  Abaco  light  was  seen  ;  and  about  fifty 
miles  south  of  it  was  Nassau,  on  the  island  of  New 
Providence,  a  favorite  resort  for  blockade-runners 
at  that  time.  The  mission  of  the  detective  was  at 
this  port.  Christy  had  again  volunteered  to  be 
his  companion,  and  they  desired  to  get  into  the 
place  as  they  had  done  in  the  Bermudas,  without 
attracting  the  attention  of  any  one,  and  especially 
not  of  those  engaged  in  loading  or  fitting  out  ves- 
sels for  the  ports  of  the  South. 

As  soon  as  the  light  was  discovered.  Captain 
Chantor   ordered   the   course    of    the   ship   to   be 


186  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

changed  to  east;  and  till  eight  bells  in  the  after- 
noon watch  she  continued  to  steam  away  from  the 
Great  Abaco  Island.  It  was  his  intention  to  avoid 
being  seen,  though  there  was  a  chance  to  fall  in 
with  a  blockade-runner.  Standing  to  the  south- 
west the  last  part  of  the  day,  the  light  at  the  Hole 
in  the  Wall,  the  southern  point  of  Great  Abaco 
Island,  was  made  out  in  the  evening.  South-east 
of  this  point  is  the  northern  end  of  Eleuthera 
Island,  where  the  Egg  Island  light  could  be  seen. 
This  was  the  locality  where  Mr.  Gilfieur  had 
decided  to  begin  ujDon  his  mission. 

His  boat  had  been  repaired  by  the  carpenter 
after  the  shot  from  the  Dornoch  struck  it,  and 
it  was  now  in  as  good  condition  as  it  had  ever 
been.  At  eleven  o'clock  in  the  evening  the  Eleu- 
thera was  lowered  into  the  water,  with  a  supply  of 
provisions  and  water,  and  such  clothing,  and  other 
articles  as  might  be  needed,  on  board.  The 
weather  was  as  favorable  as  it  could  be,  with  a 
good  breeze  from  the  north-west. 

"  Now,  Mr.  Gilfieur,  I  hope  you  will  bring  back 
as  important  information  as  you  did  from  the  Ber- 
mudas," said  the  captain,  when  the  adventurers 
were  ready  to  go  on  board  of  the  boat. 


AMONG   THE   BAHAMAS  187 

"I  hope  SO  myself;  but  I  don't  know,"  replied 
the  Frenchman.  "  I  expect  to  find  the  Ovidio  at 
Nassau  ;  and,  like  the  Dornoch,  she  is  intended  for 
a  man-of-war.  Mr.  Passford  and  I  will  do  the 
best  we  can." 

"  How  long  do  you  mean  to  be  absent  on  this 
business?  " 

"  About  three  days,  as  well  as  I  can  judge, 
though  I  have  not  had  a  chance  to  look  over  the 
ground.  I  have  no  doubt  there  are  blockade- 
runners  there,  and  we  shall  ascertain  what  we  can 
in  regard  to  them." 

"  I  shall  expect  to  pick  you  up  to  the  eastward 
of  the  Hole  in  the  Wall,  and  on  the  fourth  night 
from  the  present  time,"  added  the  captain.  "  You 
know  that  the  navigation  of  this  region  is  very 
dangerous." 

"  I  am  aware  of  it ;  but  I  have  been  here  before, 
and  I  provided  myself  with  a  good  chart  in  New 
York.  I  have  studied  it  very  attentively,  and  I 
have  the  feeling  that  I  can  make  my  way  without 
any  difficulty,"  replied  Mr.  Gilfleur  confidently. 

Christy  had  already  taken  his  place  in  the  boat, 
and  the  detective  soon  followed  him.  It  seemed 
something  like  an  old  story,  after  his  experience  in 


188  FIGHTING   FOIi   THE    RIGHT 

the  Bermudas.  The  Eleuthera  was  cast  off,  the  cap- 
tain wished  them  a  safe  and  prosperous  voyage  to 
their  destination.  T)ie  mainsail  had  been  set,  and 
the  breeze  soon  wafted  the  boat  away  from  the 
ship.  The  Chateaugay  started  her  screw,  and 
headed  off  to  the  eastward  again,  on  the  lookout 
for  blockade-runners. 

"  Here  is  a  light  ahead,"  said  Christy,  after  his 
companion  had  set  the  jib,  and  taken  the  helm. 

"  That  is  Egg  Island  light,  about  forty  miles 
from  Nassau.  Our  course  is  south-west,  which 
gives  us  a  fair  wind,"  replied  the  skipper.  "  Now, 
Mr.  Passford,  you  can  do  as  you  did  on  our 
former  voyage  in  the  Eleuthera :  turn  in  and 
sleep  till  morning." 

"  That  Avould  not  be  fair.  I  will  take  my  trick 
at  the  helm,  as  it  seems  to  be  plain  sailing,  and 
you  can  have  your  nap  first,"  suggested  Christy. 

"  No ;  I  slept  all  the  afternoon  in  anticipation 
of  to-night,  and  I  could  not  sleep  if  I  tried," 
the  skipper  insisted.  "  By  the  way,  Mr.  Passford, 
I  am  somewhat  afraid  that  the  name  of  our  boat 
may  get  us  into  trouble." 

"  Why  so?  "  asked  the  other  curiously. 

"  The   island  on   our   port   hand   is  Eleuthera, 


AMONG   THE   BAHASIAS  189 

about  forty  miles  long.  Of  course  it  is  well  known 
at  Nassau,  and  it  may  cause  people  to  ask  us  some 
hard  questions.  We  may  even  stumble  upon  the 
boat's  former  owner,  who  would  claim  her." 

"  We  could  buy  her,  or  another  like  her,  in 
that  case,"  suggested  Christy.  "  The  name  -is 
painted  on  the  stern  board,  and  we  might  remove 
it,  if  necessary." 

Mr.  Gilfleur  said  so  mxich  about  it  that  Christy 
finally  turned  in,  and  was  soon  fast  asleep.  He  did 
not  wake  till  daylight  in  the  morning.  He  found 
that  the  boat  was  headed  towards  an  island,  while 
in  the  distance  he  saw  the  light  on  Hog  Island, 
with  a  portion  of  the  town  of  Nassau,  and  a  fort. 
The  skipper  had  his  chart  spread  out  on  the  seat 
at  his  side,  and  he  was  watching  it  very  closely. 

"  Good-morning,  Mr.  Gilfleur.  I  suppose  that 
must  be  Nassau  ahead  of  us." 

"  Yes  ;  that  is  Nassau.  I  expected  to  get  here 
earlier  in  the  morning  than  this,  and  I  am  not  a 
little  afraid  to  sail  into  the  harbor  at  seven  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  as  it  will  be  before  we  can  get 
there.  The  wind  died  out  in  the  middle  of  the 
night,  though  I  got  it  again  very  early  this  morn- 
ing.    I  must  get  to  the  town  in  some  other  way. 


190  FIGHTING   FOE   THE   RIGHT 

The  land  on  the  port  is  Rose  Island,  and  Doug- 
las Channel  is  just  this  side  of  it.  I  am  going 
tlii-ougli  that,  and  shall  make  my  way  to  the  back 
side  of  the  island,  where  we  can  conceal  the  boat." 

"  I  should  say  that  would  be  a  good  idea,"  added 
Christy,  as  he  took  in  the  plan.  "  The  water  is  as 
clear  as  crj'^stal  here,  and  you  can  see  the  bottom 
as  plainly  as  though  nothing  came  between  your 
eye  and  the  rock." 

The  skipper  stationed  his  companion  on  the  bow 
of  the  boat  to  watch  for  rocks  ;  but  none  interfered 
with  the  progress  of  the  Eleuthera.  She  sailed  to 
the  back  side  of  the  island  of  New  Providence, 
where  they  found  a  secluded  nook,  in  which  they 
moored  the  craft. 


THE   LANDING   AT   NEW   TliOViDENCE        191 


CHAPTER   XVII 

THE  LANDING  AT  NEW  PKOVHDENCE 

The  water  was  so  clear  that  the  bottom  could 
be  seen  at  all  times,  the  white  coral  rock  greatly 
assisting  the  transparency.  From  Douglas  Chan- 
*  nel,  through  which  the  boat  had  passed,  the  chart 
indicated  that  it  was  twenty  miles  to  the  point 
where  the  skipper  desired  to  land,  and  it  was 
nearly  eleven  o'clock  whgn  the  Eleuthera  ran  into 
the  little  bay,  extending  over  a  mile  into  the 
island,  and  nearly  landlocked.  The  shore  was 
covered  with  tropical  vegetation,  including  cocoa- 
nut  palms,  loaded  with  fruit,  with  palmettoes, 
wild  palms,  and  many  plants  of  which  Christy  did 
not  even  know  the  names. 

"  We  could  not  have  anything  better  than  this," 
said  Mr.  Gilfleur,  as  he  ran  the  boat  into  a  tangle 
of  mangroves  and  other  plants. 

"  This  bay  appears  to  be  about  five  miles  from 
the   town  of   Nassau,   and   I  should  say  that  no 


192  FIGHTING   FOE,   THE   EIGHT 

person  is  likely  to  see  the  boat  if  it  should  stay 
here  for  a  month,"  replied  Christy,  as  he  measured 
the  distance  across  the  island  with  the  scale  his 
companion  had  prepared. 

"  It  will  not  take  us  long  to  walk  that  distance. 
There  are  all  sorts  of  people  in  Nassau  at  the 
present  time,  as  there  wei'C  in  St.  George's  and 
Hamilton  ;  and  we  shall  pass  without  exciting  any 
particular  attention." 

"  I  think  we  had  better  look  out  for  a  cleaner 
place  to  land  than  this,  for  the  mud  seems  to  be 
about  knee-deep,"  suggested  Christy,  as  he  tested 
the  consistency  of  the  shore  with  an  oar. 

"  But  thei^e  is  hard  ground  within  four  feet  of 
the  water.  I  have  a  board  in  the  bottom  of  the 
boat  with  which  we  can  bridge  the  mud,"  replied 
the  skipper.  "  But  I  think  we  had  better  have 
our  lunch  before  we  walk  five  miles." 

"  I  am  in  condition  to  lunch,"  added  Christy. 

The  sails  had  been  furled,  and  everything  put 
in  order  on  board  of  the  boat.  The  basket  con- 
taining the  provisions  was  brought  out  of  the 
cuddy,  and  seated  in  the  stern  sheets  they  did 
ample  justice  to  the  meal.  The  detective  had  put 
on  his  suit  of   blue,    and   his   companion  dressed 


THE  LANDING  AT  NEW  PROVIDENCE   193 

himself  as  he  had  done  in  Bermuda,  though  he 
was  not  to  act  the  part  of  a  servant  on  this  occa- 
sion. 

"  It  will  not  do  to  acknowledge  that  we  are 
Americans,  and  it  would  not  be  prud^it  to  claim 
that  we  are  Englishmen,"  said  Mr.  Gilfleur. 

"  Why  not  ?  We  speak  English  ;  and  you  can 
pronounce  it  as  well  as  I  can,"  argued  Christy. 

"  Because  we  may  be  catechised ;  though  I  know 
London  almost  as  well  as  I  do  Paris,  I  am  afraid 
you  might  be  caught." 

"I  have  been  in  London  twice,  though  I  don't 
know  enough  about  it  to  answer  all  the  questions 
that  may  be  put  to  me,"  added  Christy. 

"  In  that  case  we  had  better  be  Frenchmen,  as 
we  were  before.  We  are  not  likely  to  find  many 
people  here  who  speak  French,  for  the  visiting 
portion  of  the  population  must  be  people  who  are 
engaged  in  blockade-running.  Probably  there  are 
some  Southern  magnates  here,  attending  to  the 
business  of  the  Confederacy." 

"  They  were  here  two  years,  ago,  when  I  was  in 
Nassau  for  a  few  hours,  on  the  lookout  for  steamers 
for  their  navy.  I  remember  Colonel  Richard 
Pierson,  who  was  extremely  anxious  to  purchase 


VJ4:  FIGHTING    FOE,   THE   EIGHT 

the  Bellevite,  wliicli  anchored  outside  the  light, 
for  there  was  not  water  enough  to  allow  her  to 
cross  the  bar,"  said  Christy,  recalling  some  of  the 
events  of  his  first  voyage  in  the  steamer  his  father 
had  preseifted  to  the  government. 

"  Perhaps  he  is  still  in  Nassau,"  suggested  Mr. 
Gilfieur,  with  a  shade  of  anxiety  on  his  face. 

"  He  would  not  recognize  me  now,  for  I  have 
grown  a  good  deal,  and  I  hardly  saw  him.  He 
employed  his  son,  a  young  fellow  of  eighteen,  to 
act  for  him  in  obtaining  information  in  regard  to 
the  Bellevi'te.  The  son's  name  was  Percy  Pierson, 
and  when  he  tried  to  pump  me  in  regard  to  the 
Bellevite,  I  chaffed  him  till  he  lost  all  patience. 
Then  he  proposed  to  put  tlie  owner  of  our  steamer, 
for  she  had  not  then  been  transferred  to  the 
government,  in  the  way  of  making  a  fortune.  I 
told  him  that  the  owner  was  determined  to  get  rid 
of  tlie  ship,  though  I  only  meant  to  say  that  he 
intended  to  pass  her  over  to  the  government.  At 
any  rate,  Percy  believed  she  was  for  sale,  and  he 
smuggled  himself  on  board  of  her.  He  was  not 
discovered  till  we  were  under  way ;  and  we  had 
to  take  him  with  us." 

"  What  became  of  this  Percy  Pierson  ?  "  asked 
the  detective. 


THE   LANDING   AT   NEW   PROVIDENCE        195 

"  We  brought  him  off  with  us  when  we  fought 
our  way  out  of  Mobile  Bay,  Off  Carisfort  Reef 
light  we  put  him  on  board  of  a  schooner  belonging 
to  Nassau;  and  that  was  the  last  I  know  about 
him." 

"  But  I  hope  he  is  not  in  Nassau  now,"  said  Mr. 
Gilfleur. 

"  I  don't  believe  he  is,  for  his  brother  was  doing 
his  best  to  get  him  into  the  Confederate  army." 

"  You  must  keep  your  eyes  wide  open  for  this 
fellow,  Mr.  Passford,"  added  the  skipper  earnestly. 
"  If  he  should  recognize  you,  our  enterprise  would 
be  ruined." 

"  I  don't  believe  there  is  the  least  danger  of 
that,  for  I  am  a  different-looking  fellow  from  what 
I  was  two  years  ago.  But  I  will  look  out  sharply 
for  him,  and  for  his  father." 

"We  had  better  speak  nothing  but  French 
between  ourselves,  and  break  up  our  English 
when  we  are  obliged  to  use  it,"  Mr.  Gilfleur  con- 
cluded, as  he  returned  the  basket  of  provisions  to 
the  cuddy,  and  locked  the  door. 

The  board  was  put  down  on  the  mud,  and  they 
walked  ashore,  dry-shod.  The  temporary  bridge 
was  taken  up,  and  concealed  in  a  mass  of  man- 


1%  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

groves.  Tlie  Eleuthera  was  so  well  covered  up 
with  trees  and  bushes  tliat  she  was  not  likely  to 
be  discovered,  unless  some  wanderer  penetrated 
the  thicket  that  surrounded  her.  A  gentle  eleva- 
tion was  directly  before  them,  so  that  they  could 
not  see  the  town. 

"We  must  not  walk  ten  miles  in  making  five," 
said  the  detective,  as  he  produced  a  pocket  com- 
pass. "Our  course,  as  I  took  it  from  the  chart,  is 
due  north,  though  it  may  bring  us  in  at  the  west- 
ern end  of  the  town." 

"  Then  we  can  bear  a  little  to  the  east,  though 
if  we  get  to  the  town  it  will  not  make  much 
difference  where  we  strike  it,"  added  Christy. 

The  land  showed  the  remains  of  plantations 
which  had  flourished  there  in  the  palmy  days  of 
the  island.  The  ruins  of  several  mansions  and 
many  small  huts  were  seen.  Cocoa-nut  palms 
and  orange-trees  were  abundant.  After  they  had 
walked  about  a  mile,  they  came  upon  what  had 
been  a  road  in  former  days,  and  was  evidently 
used  to  some  extent  still.  Taking  this  road,  they 
followed  it  till  they  were  satisfied  that  it  would 
take  them  to  Nassau. 

The  appearance   of   the   island  soon   began   to 


THE   LANDING    AT   NEW   PEOVIDENCE        197 

improve.  The  trees  showed  that  some  care  had 
been  bestowed  upon  them,  and  an  occasional 
mansion  was  noticed.  Then  the  street  began  to 
be  flanked  with  small  houses,  hardly  better  tlian 
huts,  which  were  inhabited  by  the  blacks^  All 
the  people  they  met  were  negroes,  and  they  were 
as  polite  as  though  they  had  been  brought  up  in 
Paris,  for  every  one  of  the  men  either  touched  his 
hat  or  took  it  off  to  the  strangers.  The  women 
bowed  also ;  and  both  of  the  travellers  returned 
the  salutes  in  every  instance. 

As  they  proceeded,  the  houses  became  better, 
and  many  of  them  were  used  in  part  as  shops,  in 
which  a  variety  of  articles,  including  beer,  was 
sold.  Christy  had  seen  the  negroes  of  the  South- 
ern States,  and  he  thought  the  Nassau  colored 
people  presented  a  much  better  appearance.  At 
one  of  these  little  shops  a  carriage  of  the  victoria 
pattern  was  standing.  Doubtless  the  driver  had 
gone  in  to  refresh  himself  after  a  long  course,  for 
the  vehicle  was  headed  towards  the  town. 

"  I  think  we  had  better  ride  the  rest  of  the  way, 
if  this  carriage  is  not  engaged,"  said  M.  Rubempre, 
for  they  had  agreed  to  use  the  names  they  had 
adopted  in  the  Bermudas.  "  What  do  you  say, 
Christoi^he  ?  " 


198  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

"  I  like  the  idea ;  I  am  beginning  to  be  a  little 
tired,  for  I  have  not  walked  much  lately,"  replied 
Christy. 

At  this  moment  the  driver,  a  negro  wearing  a 
straw  hat  with  a  very  broad  brim,  came  out  of  the 
shop,  wiping  his  mouth  with  the  sleeve  of  his  coat. 
He  bowed  with  even  more  deference  than  the  gen- 
erality of  the  people.  The  strangers  were  not 
elegantly  or  genteelly  dressed,  but  they  wore  good 
clothes,  and  would  have  passed  for  masters  of  ves- 
sels, so  far  as  their  costumes  were  concerned. 

"  Is  this  your  carriage  ? "  demanded  M.  Ru- 
bempr^. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  man  in  good  English. 

"  How  far  you  must  go  to  get  into  Nassau  ? " 
inquired  the  detective,  mangling  his  English 
enough  to  suit  the  occasion. 

"  Two  miles,  sir." 

"  How  much  you  make  pay  to  go  to  Nassau  in 
ze  carriage?  " 

"  Fifty  cents." 

"  Feefty  cents  ;  how  much  money  was  zat  ?  " 

"  Arn't  you  Americans  ?  " 

"iVon.'"  replied  M.  Rubempr^  with  energy. 
"  We  have  come  from  ze  France ;  but  I  was  been 


THE  LANDING  AT  NEW  PROVIDENCE   199 

in  London,  and  I  comprehend  ze  money  of  Eeng- 
land." 

"  Two  shillings  then,"  replied  the  driver,  laugh- 
ing. 

"  We  go  wiz  you  to  ze  Nassau,"  added  the 
Frenchman,  seating  himself  in  the  carriage,  his 
companion  taking  a  place  at  his  side. 

"  Where  do  you  want  to  go,  sir  ? "  asked  the 
negro,  as  he  closed  the  door  of  the  victoria. 

"  We  must  go  to  Nassau,"  replied  the  detective, 
mangling  his  pronunciation  even  more  than  his 
grammar. 

"  Yes,  I  know ;  but  where  in  Nassau  do  you 
wish  to  go  ?  Shall  I  drive  you  to  a  hotel  ?  The 
Royal  Victoria  is  the  best  in  the  place." 

"  You  shall  take  us  to  zat  hotel." 

For  the  sake  of  appearances,  rather  than  for  any 
other  reason,  each  of  the .  visitors  to  Nassau  had 
brought  with  him  a  small  hand-bag,  containing 
such  articles  as  might  be  useful  to  them.  Having 
these  evidences  that  they  were  travellers,  it  would 
be  prudent  to  go  to  a  hotel,  though  the  want  of 
more  luggage  had  made  the  landlord  in  Hamilton 
suspicious  of  their  ability  to  pay  their  bills. 

Christy  found  enough  to  do  during  the  lide  to 


200  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

observe  the  strange  sights  presented  to  his  gaze, 
even  in  the  outskirts  of  the  town.  The  people 
were  full  of  interest  to  him,  and  he  wondered  that 
his  father  had  never  made  a  winter  trip  in  the 
West  Indies  in  former  years,  instead  of  confining 
his  visits  to  the  more  northern  islands  of  the  ocean. 

The  carriage  arrived  at  the  Royal  Victoria  Hotel, 
located  on  a  ridge  which  has  been  dignified  as  a 
hill,  a  short  distance  in  the  rear  of  the  business 
portion  of  the  to^yn.  M.  Rubempre  produced  his 
purse,  which  was  well  stuffed  with  sovereigns, 
more  for  the  enlightenment  of  the  clerk  who  came 
out  when  the  vehicle  stopped,  than  for  the  infor- 
mation of  the  driver,  to  whom  he  paid  four  florins, 
which  was  just  double  his  fare. 

"  Do  you  speak  French  ? "  asked  the  guest  in 
that  language. 

"No,  sir;  not  a  word  of  it,"  though  he  under- 
stood the  question. 

"  We  must  have  two  chambers  for  one,  two, 
t'ree  day." 

"  All  right ;  we  have  two  that  were  vacated  this 
morning,"  replied  the  clerk,  as  he  led  the  way  to 
the  office,  where  the  Frenchman  registered  his 
name,  and  his  residence  as  in  Paris. 


THE  LANDING   AT   NEW    PROVIDENCE        201 

Christy  wrote  the  name  of  Christophe  Poireau, 
also  from  Paris.  Then  they  chatted  together  in 
French  for  a  moment,  in  order  to  impress  the  clerk 
and  others  who  were  standingf  near  with  the  fact 
that  they  spoke  the  polite  language.  They  were 
shown  to  two  small  chambers,  well  up  in  the  air, 
for  the  hotel  seemed  to  be  as  full  as  the  clerk  had 
suggested  that  it  was.  The  blockade  business 
made  the  town  and  the  hotel  very  lively. 

The  newly  arrived  guests  did  not  waste  any 
time  in  their  rooms,  but  entered  at  once  upon  the 
work  of  their  mission.  On  the  piazza  they  halted 
to  size  up  the  other  visitors  at  the  hotel.  From 
this  high  point  of  view  they  could  see  the  harbor, 
crowded  with  vessels. 


202  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

AN   AFFRAY  IN   NASSAU 

Christy's  first  care  was  to  look  about  among 
the  guests  of  the  hotel  gathered  on  the  piazza,  in 
order  to  ascertain  if  there  was  any  person  there 
whom  he  had  ever  met  before.  Very  few  of  them 
were  what  could  be  classed  as  genteel  people,  and 
some  of  them  were  such  people  as  one  would  not 
expect  to  see  at  a  first-class  hotel.  They  were 
dressed  in  seaman's  garments  for  the  most  part, 
though  not  as  common  sailors  ;  and  doubtless  many 
of  them  were  commanders  or  officers  of  the  vessels 
in  the  harbor. 

Putting  on  an  indifferent  air  he  walked  about 
the  veranda,  observing  every  person  he  encoun- 
tered, as  well  as  those  who  were  seated  in  grouj)s, 
engaged  in  rather  noisy  conversation,  intermixed 
with  a  great  deal  of  profanity.  He  breathed 
easier  when  he  had  made  the  circuit  of  the  piazzas 
on  the  first  floor,  though  there  were  two  others  on 


AN   AFFRAY   IN   NASSAU  203 

the  stories  above  it,  for  he  found  no  one  lie  could 
identify  as  a  person  he  had  seen  before. 

There  were  quite  a  number  of  steamers  in  the 
harbor,  or  in  that  part  of  it  which  lies  inside  of  the 
bar  and  in  front  of  the  town,  with  at  least  three 
times  as  many  sailing  craft.  No  doubt  many  of 
the  latter,  as  well  as  the  former,  had  brought  car- 
goes of  cotton  from  Confederate  ports ;  for  though 
the  blockade  was  regarded  as  effective,  and  treated 
as  such  by  foreign  nations,  many  small  vessels  con- 
trived to  escape  from  obscure  harbors  on  the  South- 
ern coast.  Christy  had  been  concerned  in  the 
capture  of  a  considerable  number  of  such.  On 
the  wharves  were  stacks  of  cotton  which  had  been 
landed  from  these  vessels,  and  several  of  them 
were  engaged  in  transferring  it  to  small  steamers, 
for  large  ones  were  unable  to  cross  the  bar.  But 
the  visitors  had  no  business  with  the  vessels  thus 
engaged,  for  they  had  completed  their  voyages, 
and  were  exempt  from  capture. 

"  I  have  taken  not  a  few  prisoners  in  or  off 
Southern  ports,  and  it  would  not  greatly  surprise 
me  if  I  should  meet  some  one  I  had  met  before," 
said  Christy,  in  French,  as  he  resumed  his  seat  by 
the  side  of  the  detective. 


204  FIGHTING    FOR    THE    EIGHT 

"  Then  I  fear  that  your  coming  with  me  was  a 
mistake,"  replied  M.  Rubempre.  "  You  must  be 
extremely  cautious,  not  only  for  your  own  protec- 
tion, but  because  you  may  compromise  me,  and 
cause  me  to  fail  in  the  accomplishment  of  my 
mission  here." 

"  I  should  be  sorry  to  interfere  with  your  work, 
and  I  think  we  had  better  separate,"  replied 
Christy,  very  much  disturbed  at  the  suggestion  of 
his  friend.  "  If  I  can  do  no  good,  I  certainly  do 
not  wish  to  do  any  harm." 

"  No,  my  friend ;  I  cannot  desert  you,  especially 
if  you  are  in  peril,"  protested  the  detective. 
"  How  could  I  ever  look  your  father  in  the  face 
if  I  permitted  you  to  get  into  trouble  here  ?" 

"  I  don't  think  I  shall  get  into  trouble,  even  if  I 
am  recognized  by  some  person.  This  is  not  Con- 
federate territory,  though  it  looks  very  much  like 
it ;  for  all  the  people  around  us  are  talking  seces- 
sion, and  the  inhabitants  sympathize  with  the 
South  to  the  fullest  extent.  I  could  not  be  cap- 
tured and  sent  to  a  Confederate  State,  or  be  sub- 
jected to  any  violence,  for  the  authorities  would 
not  permit  anything  of  the  kind,"  Christy  argued 
with  energy. 


AN   AFFRAY   IN  NASSAU  205 

"  I  am  not  so  sure  of  that." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  in  regard  to  my  own  safety  ; 
but  if  you  appear  to  be  connected  with  me  in  any 
manner,  and  I  were  identified  as  a  United  States 
naval  officer,  of  course  it  would  ruin  your  enter- 
prise. For  this  reason  I  insist  that  we  separate, 
and  I  will  take  a  room  at  another  hotel." 

Christy  was  determined,  and  in  the  end  the  de- 
tective had  to  yield  in  substance  to  him,  though  it 
was  agreed,  for  reasons  that  seemed  to  be  good, 
that  M.  Rubemprd  should  change  his  hotel.  They 
arranged  to  meet  after  dark  in  the  grounds  in  the 
rear  of  the  Royal  Victoria,  to  consult  in  regard  to 
the  future. 

"  In  the  mean  time  I  will  do  what  I  can  to  ob- 
tain information  in  regard  to  steamers  bound  to 
Confederate  ports.  I  wdll  still  claim  to  be  a 
Frenchman,  and  talk  pigeon  English,"  continued 
Christy. 

"  If  any  misfortune  happens  to  you,  Christophe, 
I  shall  blame  myself  for  it,"  added  the  Frenchman. 

"You  cannot  fairly  do  that,  for  it  will  not  be 
through  any  fault  of  yours.  If  I  fail  to  meet  you 
as  agreed,  you  can  look  for  me.  If  you  cannot 
find  me,  you  must  leave  at  the  time  agreed  upon 


206  FIGHTING   roil   THE    EIGHT 

witli  Captain  Chantor,  whether  I  go  with  you  or 
not.  But  I  have  no  idea  that  anything  will 
happen  to  prevent  me  from  returning  to  the  ship 
with  you." 

"  I  could  not  leave  without  you,"  said  the  detec- 
tive moodily. 

"  If  you  do  not,  you  will  be  likely  to  get  the 
Chateaugay  into  trouble ;  for  if  we  did  not  return  to 
her,  she  would  probably  come  into  this  port  after 
us." 

"  I  will  consider  the  matter  before  I  assent  to 
it,"  returned  M.  Rubempr^,  rising  from  his  chair. 

Christy  was  fully  resolved  not  to  endanger  the 
mission  of  his  companion,  and  he  left  the  hotel. 
He  walked  slowly  down  Parliament  to  Bay  Street, 
which  is  the  principal  business  avenue  of  the  town, 
running  parallel  to  the  shore.  It  was  lined  with 
shops,  saloons,  and  small  hotels  on  one  side,  and 
with  the  market  and  wharves  on  the  other.  He 
desired  to  see  what  he  could  of  the  place,  and  pick 
up  all  the  information  that  would  be  serviceable  to 
an  officer  of  the  navy. 

As  he  passed  a  drinking-saloon  a  torrent  of  loud 
talk,  spiced  with  oaths,  flowed  out  from  the  place. 
Before  he  had  fairly  passed  the  door  a  violent  hand 


AN   APFIIAY   IN   NASSAU  207 

was  laid  upon  him,  seizing  him  by  the  collar  with 
no  gentle  grasp.  The  ruffian  had  fallen  upon  him 
from  the  rear,  and  he  could  not  see  who  it  was  that 
assaulted  him.  The  man  attempted  to  drag  him 
into  the  saloon ;  but  he  was  evidently  considerably 
affected  by  his  potations  in  the  place,  and  his  legs 
were  somewhat  tangled  up  by  the  condition  of  his 
brain. 

Christy  attempted,  by  a  vigorous  movement,  to 
shake  off  his  assailant ;  but  the  fellow  held  on, 
and  he  found  it  impossible  to  detach  his  grasp. 
His  blood  was  boilingf  with  indisfnation  at  the  un- 
provoked  assault,  and  his  two  fists  were  clinched 
so  tight  that  iron  could  hardly  have  been  harder 
and  touglier.  He  levelled  a  blow  at  the  head 
of  the  ruffian,  who  still  kept  in  his  rear,  and 
delivered  it  with  all  the  power  of  his  strong  arm. 

The  assailant  reeled,  and  released  his  hold,  for 
his  head  must  have  whirled  around  like  a  top  under 
the  crashing  blow  it  had  sustained.  Christy 
turned  so  that  he  could  see  the  ruffian.  He  was  a 
stalwart  fellow,  at  least  fifty  pounds  heavier  than 
the  young  lieutenant.  His  nose  was  terribly  dis- 
figured, not  by  the  blow  of  the  young  officer,  for, 
twisted  as  it  was,  there   was  no  sign  of  a  fresh 


208  FIGHTING    FOR    THE    RIGHT 

wound  upon  it.  One  glance  was  enough  to  satisfy 
Christy  as  to  the  identity  of  the  ruffian. 

It  was  Captain  Flanger,  whose  steamer  Christy 
had  captured,  with  a  boat  expedition  sent  out  from 
the  Bionx,  in  St.  Andrew's  Bay.  He  was  a  pris- 
oner, but  had  escaped,  and  invaded  the  cabin  of  the 
Bronx,  where  he  attempted  to  make  Christy  sign 
an  order  which  would  have  resulted  in  delivering 
the  steamer  to  the  enemy.  The  heroic  young 
commander,  preferring  death  to  dishonor,  had 
refused  to  sign  the  order,  Tlie  affair  had  cul- 
minated in  a  sort  of  duel  in  the  cabin,  in  which 
Christy,  aided  by  his  faithful  steward,  had  hit 
Flanger  in  the  nose  with  his  revolver. 

The  ruffian  had  sworn  to  be  revenged  at  the 
time,  and  he  seemed  to  have  chosen  the  present 
occasion  to  wreak  his  vengeance  upon  the  destroyer 
of  his  nasal  member.  The  blow  his  victim  had 
struck  was  a  set-back  to  him ;  but  he  presently 
recovered  the  balance  of  his  head  which  the  shock 
had  upset.  It  was  plain  enough  that  he  had  not 
given  up  the  battle,  for  he  had  drawn  back  with 
the  evident  intention  of  using  his  clinched  fists 
upon  bis  adversary. 

"Hit  him  again,  Flanger  !  "  shouted  one  of  the 


"  His   blood  was   boiling   with   indignatiOxX  at   the   unprovoked 
ASSAULT."     Page  207. 


AN   AFFKAY   IN   NASSAU  209 

brutal  occupants  of  the  saloon,  who  now  filled  the 
doorway. 

The  affair  was  rapidly  becoming  serious,  and 
Christy  was  debating  with  himself  whether  or  not 
he  should  draw  a  revolver  he  carried  in  his  pocket ; 
but  he  was  cool  enough  to  realize  that  he  was  on 
neutral  ground,  and  that  it  would  be  very  impru- 
dent to  be  the  first  to  resort  to  deadly  weapons. 
He  could  not  run  away,  for  his  self-respect  would 
not  permit  him  to  do  so.  He  braced  himself  up 
to  meet  the  onslaught  of  the  ruffian. 

Flanger  charged  upon  him,  and  attempted  to 
plant  a  blow  with  his  fist  in  the  face  of  his  in- 
tended victim ;  but  the  young  officer  parried  it, 
and  was  about  to  follow  up  the  movement  with  a 
blow,  when  Monsieur  Rubempre  rushed  in  between 
them,  struck  the  assailant  such  a  blow  that  he 
went  over  backwards.  In  fact,  the  man  was  too 
much  intoxicated  to  stand  without  considerable 
difficulty. 

At  this  moment  a  couple  of  colored  policemen 
rushed  in  between  the  combatants.  The  tipplers 
in  the  saloon  picked  up  their  comrade,  and  stood 
him  on  his  feet.  The  Nassau  officers  doubtless 
had  a  great  deal   of  this  sort  of  quarrelling,  for 


210  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

drinking  strong  liquors  was  the  principal  occupa- 
tion of  the  officers  and  crews  of  the  blockade- 
runners  while  in  port  and  on  shore. 

"What  is  all  this  about?  Who  began  this 
quarrel  ?  "  demanded  one  of  them,  as  he  looked 
from  one  party  to  the  other  in  the  battle. 

"  I  was  passing  the  door  of  this  saloon,  and  did 
not  even  look  into  it,  when  that  man  rushed  upon 
me,  and  seized  me  by  the  collar,"  replied  Christy. 
"  I  tried  to  shake  him  off,  but  I  could  not,  and 
then  I  struck  him  in  the  side  of  the  head." 

"  Look  here,  you  nigger ! "  shouted  Captain 
Flanger.  "  It's  none  of  your  business  who  began 
it." 

"  I  shall  arrest  you  for  a  breach  of  the  peace," 
said  the  policeman. 

"  I  don't  reckon  you  will.  Do  you  see  my  nose  ? 
Look  at  it !  Don't  you  see  that  it  is  knocked  into 
a  cocked  hat?"  said  Flanger  fiercely. 

"  I  see  it  is ;  but  what  has  that  to  do  with  this 
matter  ?  "  asked  the  negro  officer. 

"That  man  shot  my  nose  off  !  "  roared  Flanger. 
"I  am  going  to  kill  him  for  it,  if  it  costs  me  my 
head ! " 

"  You  shall  not  kill  him  here,"  protested  the 


AN   AFFRAY   IN   NASSAU  211 

guardian  of  the  peace.  "  You  have  been  drinking 
too  much,  sir,  and  you  must  go  with  me  and  get 
sobered  off." 

The  two  policemen  walked  up  to  him  with  the 
intention  of  arresting  him ;  but  he  showed  fight. 
He  was  too  tipsy  to  make  an  effectual  resistance. 
His  companions  in  the  saloon  huddled  around  him, 
and  endeavored  to  compel  the  policemen  to  let  go 
their  hold  of  him ;  but  they  held  on  to  their  pris- 
oner till  two  more  officers  came,  and  Flanger  was 
dragged  out  into  the  street,  and  then  marched  to 
the  jail. 

Christy  was  very  much  surprised  that  nothing 
was  said  to  him  by  the  officers  about  the  affair  in 
which  he  had  been  one  of  the  principal  actors. 
He  had  expected  to  be  summoned  as  a  witness 
against  the  prisoner  they  had  taken,  but  not  a 
word  was  said  to  him.  He  looked  about  to  see  if 
the  detective  was  in  sight,  but  he  had  disappeared. 

"  That  was  an  ugly-looking  man,"  said  a  gentle- 
man in  the  street,  after  the  carousers  had  returned 
to  the  saloon.     "  I  hope  he  has  not  injured  you." 

"  Not  at  all,  sir ;  he  was  too  drunk  to  do  all  he 
could  have  done  if  he  had  been  in  full  possession 
of  his  faculties,  for  he  is  a  much  heavier  person 


212  FIGHTING   FOK   THE   EIGHT 

than  I  am,"  replied  Christy.  "  Why  was  I  not 
summoned  as  a  witness  at  his  examination?  " 

"  Oh,  bless  you,  sir !  they  will  not  examine  or 
try  him;  they  will  sober  him  off,  and  then  dis- 
charge him.  He  is  the  captain  of  that  little 
steamer  near  the  public  wharf.  She  is  called  the 
Snapper,  and  will  sail  for  the  States  on  the  high 
tide  at  five  o'clock." 

"  Do  you  know  to  what  port  she  is  bound  ?  " 
asked  Christy. 

"  Mobile." 

The  young  officer  walked  down  to  the  public 
wharf  to  see  the  Snapper. 


AN   OLD  ACQUAINTANCE  213 


CHAPTER   XIX 

AN   OLD   ACQUAENTANCE 

The  Snapper  was  quite  a  small  craft,  and  looked 
like  an  old  vessel ;  for  she  was  a  side-wheeler, 
though  she  had  evidently  been  built  for  a  sea- 
going craft.  Whether  Flanger  had  escaped  from 
the  Bellevite  after  being  transferred  to  her  from 
the  Bronx,  or  had  been  regularly  exchanged  as  a 
prisoner  of  war,  Christy  had  no  means  of  know- 
ing. It  made  little  difference  ;  he  was  in  Nassau, 
and  he  was  thirsting  for  revenge  against  him. 

The  young  officer  did  not  feel  that  the  brutal 
wretch  had  any  reasonable  cause  to  complain  of 
him,  and  especially  no  right  to  revenge  himself  for 
an  injury  received  while  his  assailant  was  the 
aggressor.  He  had  done  his  duty  to  his  country. 
He  had  been  compelled  to  act  promptly ;  and  lie 
had  not  aimed  his  revolver  particularly  at  the  nose 
of  his  dangerous  assailant.  Flanger  was  engaged 
in  a  foolhardy  enterprise ;  and  the  mutilation  of 


214  FIGHTING   FOE   THE   RIGHT 

his  nasal  member  had  resulted  very  naturally  from 
his  folly. 

His  enemy  was  probably  a  good  sailor,  and  he 
was  a  bold  ruffian.  Christy  had  captured  the 
steamer  loaded  with  cotton,  in  which  he  was  all 
ready  to  sail  from  St.  Andrew's  Bay;  and  doubtless 
this  was  his  first  reason  for  hating  the  young  offi- 
cer. But  no  soldier  or  sailor  of  character  would 
ever  think  of  such  a  thing  as  revenging  himself  for 
an  injury  received  in  the  strife,  especially  if  it  was 
fairly  inflicted.  The  business  of  war  is  to  kill, 
wound,  and  capture,  as  well  as  for  each  side  to 
injure  the  other  in  person  and  property  to  the 
extent  of  its  ability. 

"  Want  a  boat,  sir  ?  "  asked  a  negro,  who  saw 
that  Christy  was  gazing  at  the  Snapper,  even 
while  he  was  thinking  about  his  quarrel  with 
Captain  Flanger. 

"  Where  is  your  boat  ?  "  asked  the  officer. 

"  Bight  here,  sir,"  replied  the  boatman,  pointing 
to  the  steps  at  the  landing-place.  "  The  best  sail- 
boat in  the  harbor,  sir." 

"  I  want  to  sail  about  this  bay  for  a  couple  of 
hours,"  added  Christy,  as  he  stopped  on  the  upper 
step  to  examine  the  craft. 


AN   OLD   ACQUAINTANCE  215 

It  was  built  exactly  like  the  Eleuthera,  though 
not  quite  so  large. 

"  I  saw  you  looking  at  the  steamer  there,"  said 
the  boatman,  pointing  to  the  vessel  in  which 
Christy  was  interested.  "  Do  you  wish  to  go  on 
board  of  her,  sir  ?  " 

"  No  ;  I  desire  only  to  sail  about  the  harbor, 
and  perhaps  go  outside  the  bar.  Can  you  cross  it 
in  this  boat  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  no  trouble  at  all  about  crossing  it  in 
tlie  Dinah.  Take  you  over  to  Eleuthera,  if  you 
like." 

"  No  ;  I  only  want  to  sail  about  the  harbor,  and 
look  at  the  vessels  in  port,"  replied  Christy. 

While  he  was  looking  at  the  boat,  he  became 
conscious  that  a  young  man,  who  was  standing  on 
the  capsill  of  the  wharf,  was  looking  at  him  very 
earnestly.  He  only  glanced  at  him,  but  did  not 
recognize  him.  He  had  taken  the  first  step  in  the 
descent  of  the  stairs,  when  this  person  put  his  hand 
upon  his  shoulder  to  attract  his  attention.  Christy 
looked  at  him,  and  was  sui'e  that  he  had  seen  him 
before,  though  he  failed  to  identify  him. 

"How  are  you,  Christy?"  said  the  stranger. 
"  Don't  you  know  me  ?  " 


216  FIGHTING   FOE   THE   RIGHT 

"  Your  face  has  a  familiar  look  to  me,  but  I  am 
unable  to  make  you  out  at  first  sight,"  replied  the 
young  officer,  more  puzzled  as  he  examined  the 
features  of  the  young  man,  who  appeared  to  be 
about  twenty  years  old. 

"  You  and  I  both  have  grown  a  great  deal  in 
the  last  two  years,  since  we  first  met  on  this  very 
wharf ;  but  I  am  Percy  Pierson,  and  you  and  I 
were  fellow-voyagers  in  the  Bellevite." 

"  I  think  you  have  changed  ip  that  time  more 
than  I  have,  or  I  should  have  recognized  you," 
answered  Christy  very  coldly,  for  he  was  not  at 
all  pleased  to  be  identified  by  any  person. 

"  You  are  a  good  deal  larger  than  when  I  saw 
you  last  time,  but  3'ou  look  just  the  same.  I  am 
glad  to  see  you,  Christy,  for  you  and  I  ran  a  big 
rig  over  in  Mobile  Bay,"  continued  Percy,  as  he 
extended  his  hand  to  the  other. 

Christy  realized  that  it  would  be  useless  as  well 
as  foolish  to  deny  his  identity  to  one  who  knew 
him  so  well.  A  moment's  reflection  assured  him 
that  he  must  make  the  best  of  the  circumstances ; 
but  he  wished  with  all  his  might  that  he  had  not 
come  to  Nassau.  He  was  particularly  glad  that 
he  had  insisted  upon  separating  from  Mr.  Gilfleur, 


AN   OLD   ACQUAINTANCE  217 

for  the  present  encounter  would  liave  ruined  his 
mission.  The  young  man's  father  was  Colonel 
Richard  Pierson,  a  neighbor  of  Homer  Passford ; 
and  he  was  a  Confederate  commissioner  for  the 
purchase  of  vessels  for  the  rebel  navy,  for  running 
the  blockade.  Doubtless  the  son  was  his  father's 
assistant,  as  he  had  been  at  the  time  of  Christy's 
first  visit. 

Percy  was  not  a  person  of  very  heavy  brain 
calibre,  as  his  companion  had  learned  from  an 
association  of  several  weeks  with  him.  Christy 
believed  that  he  might  obtain  some  useful  infor- 
mation from  him ;  and  he  decided,  since  it  was 
impossible  to  escape  the  interview,  to  make  .the 
best  of  it,  and  he  accepted  the  offered  hand.  He 
did  not  consider  the  young  Southerner  as  much  of 
a  rebel,  for  he  had  refused  to  shoulder  a  musket 
and  fight  for  the  cause. 

"  I  begin  to  see  your  former  looks,  and  particu- 
larly your  expression,"  said  Christy.  "I  am  very 
glad  to  see  you,  and  I  hope  you  have  been  very 
well  since  we  met  last." 

"  Very  well  indeed." 

"  Do  you  live  here,  Percy  ?  " 

"  I  have  lived  here  most  of  the  time  since  we 


218  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

parted  on  board  of  the  Bellevite,  and  you  put  me 
on  board  of  a  schooner  bound  to  Nassau.  That 
was  a  very  good  tnrn  you  did  me,  for  I  believed 
you  would  take  me  to  New  York,  and  pitch  me 
into  a  Yankee  prison.  I  was  very  grateful  to 
you,  for  I  know  it  was  your  influence  that  saved 
me." 

This  remark  seemed  to  put  a  new  face  upon  the 
meeting.  Christy  had  done  nothing  to  cause  him 
to  be  set  free ;  for  the  Bellevite,  though  she  had 
beaten  off  several  steamers  that  attempted  to  cap- 
ture her,  was  not  in  the  regular  service  at  tlie 
time,  her  mission  in  the  South  being  simply  to 
bring  home  the  daugliter  of  her  owner,  who  had 
passed  the  winter  with  her  uncle  at  Glenfield. 

"  I  am  very  glad  I  was  able  to  do  you  a  good 
turn,"  replied  Christy,  who  considered  it  his  duty 
to  take  advantage  of  the  circumstances.  "  I  am 
just  going  out  to  take  a  sail;  won't  you  join  me?" 

"  Thank  you ;  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  do  so.  I 
suppose  you  are  a  Yankee  still,  engaged  in  the 
business  of  subjugating  the  free  South,  as  I  am 
still  a  rebel  to  the  backbone,"  replied  Percy, 
laughing  very  pleasantly. 

"  But  you  are  not  in  the  rebel  army  now,  any 


AN   OLD   ACQUAINTANCE  219 

more  than  you  were  at  that  time,"  added  Christy 
ill  equally  good  humor. 

"  I  am  not.  You  know  all  about  my  army  expe- 
rience. My  brother,  the  major,  sends  me  a  letter 
by  every  chance  he  can  get,  and  has  offered-  to 
have  my  indiscretion,  as  he  called  it,  in  leaving 
the  camp,  passed  over,  if  I  will  save  the  honor  of 
the  family  by  retn ruing  to  the  army ;  but  my 
father  insists  that  I  can  render  better  service  to 
the  cause  as  his  assistant." 

Christy  led  the  way  down  the  steps,  and  the 
two  seated  themselves  in  the  bow  of  the  boat. 
The  skipper  shoved  off  after  he  had  set  his  sails, 
and  the  boat  stood  out  towards  the  Snapper,  for 
he  could  hardly  avoid  passing  quite  near  to  her. 

"  What  are  you  doing  in  Nassau,  Cliristy  ? " 
asked  Percy. 

This  was  a  hard  question,  and  it  was  utterly  im- 
possible to  make  a  truthful  reply  without  upsetting 
the  plan  of  Mr.  Gilfleur,  and  rendering  useless  the 
voyage  of  the  Chateaugay  to  the  Bahamas. 

"  I  am  in  just  as  bad  a  scrape  as  you  were  when 
you  were  caught  on  board  of  the  Bellevite,"  replied 
Christy  after  a  moment's  reflection. 

"  Are  you  a  prisoner  of  war?  " 


220  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   KIGIIT 

"  How  could  I  be  a  prisoner  in  a  neutral  port 
like  Nassau  ?  No ;  I  do  not  regard  myself  as  a 
prisoner  just  now,"  answered  Christy  very  good- 
humoredly. 

"  But  you  have  been  a  prisoner,  and  you  have 
escaped  in  some  vessel  that  run  the  blockade.  I 
see  it  all ;  and  you  need  not  stop  to  explain  it," 
said  Percy,  who  flattered  himself  on  his  brilliant 
perception. 

"  The  less  I  say  about  it  the  better  it  will  be  for 
me,"  added  Christy,  willing  to  accept  the  situation 
as  his  companion  had  marked  it  out. 

"  But  you  must  not  let  my  father  see  you." 
"  I  never  met  Colonel  Pierson,  though  I  saw  him 
once,  and  he  would  not  know  me  if  we  should 
meet." 

"  Then  don't  let  him  know  who  you  are." 
"  He  will  not  know,  unless  you  tell  him." 
"  You  may  be  very  sure  that  I  will  not  mention 
you  to  him,  or  to  anybody  else,  for  that  matter," 
replied  Percy  very  earnestly. 

But  Christy  did  not  put  any  confidence  in  his 
assertion.  Percy  was  really  a  deserter  from  the 
Confederate  army,  and  he  knew  that  he  had  in 
several  instances  acted  the  traitor's  part.     He  had 


AN   OLD   ACQUAINTANCE  221 

more  respect  for  an  out-and-out  rebel  than  for  one 
who  shirked  his  duty  to  his  country  as  he  under- 
stood it. 

"  I  have  been  afraid  some  one  might  identify  me 
here,"  suggested  Christy,  determined  not  to  over- 
act his  part. 

"I  might  help  you  out  of  the  scrape,"  said 
Percy,  who  appeared  to  be  reflecting  upon  some- 
thing that  had  come  to  his  mind.  "  I  suppose  you 
are  aware  tliat  most  of  the  vessels  in  this  harbor, 
and  those  outside  the  bar,  are  directly  or  indirectly 
interested  in  blockade-running." 

"  I  supposed  so,  but  I  know  nothing  about  it." 

"  Some  of  them  have  brought  in  cotton,  with 
which  others  are  loading  for  England.  My  busi- 
ness as  my  father's  clerk  takes  me  on  board  of  most 
of  them,  and  I  know  the  captains  and  other  officers 
very  well.  This  little  steamer  we  have  just  passed 
was  bought  for  a  Mobile  man  by  my  father.  She 
carried  a  full  cargo  of  goods  into  Mobile,  and  came 
out  again  full  of  cotton.  She  is  called  the  Snap- 
per, and  she  is  a  regular  snapper  at  her  business. 
She  is  now  all  loaded,  and  will  sail  on  the  next 
tide.     I  am  well  acquainted  witli  her  captain." 

"  What  sort  of  a  man  is  he  ?  "  asked  Christy  in 
an  indifferent  tone. 


222  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

"  He  is  a  very  good  fellow ;  bold  as  an  eagle,  and 
brave  as  a  lion.  He  drinks  too  much  whiskey  for 
his  own  good ;  but  he  knows  all  the  ports  on  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  he  gets  in  or  out  in  face  of 
the  blockaders  every  time,"  answered  Percy  with 
enthusiasm. 

"  Did  he  never  lose  a  vessel  ?  " 

"  Never  but  one ;  that  was  the  Floridian,  and  I 
reckon  you  know  as  much  about  that  affair  as  any 
other  person,  Christy,"  replied  Percy,  laughing  as 
though  it  had  been  a  good  joke  on  Captain  Flanger. 

"  I  know  something  about  it." 

"  Your  uncle.  Colonel  Passford,  lost  several  ves- 
sels, and  you  had  a  hand  in  their  capture.  But 
never  mind  that ;  you  did  me  a  good  turn,  and  I 
never  go  back  on  a  friend.  Now,  my  dear  fellow, 
I  do  not  think  it  will  be  safe  for  you  to  remain 
here.  You  are  looked  upon  as  a  dangerous  fellow 
along  the  Gulf  coast,  as  Colonel  Passford  writes  to 
my  father ;  and  if  my  governor  should  get  a  hint 
that  you  were  here,  he  would  make  a  business  of 
getting  you  inside  a  Confederate  prison." 

"  I  am  under  the  flag  of  England  just  now,  and 
that  is  supposed  to  protect  neutrals." 

"  That's  all  very  well,  my  dear  fellow ;  but  my 


AN   OLD   ACQUAINTANCE  223 

governor  could  manage  your  affair  in  some  way. 
I  can  make  a  trade  with  the  captain  of  the  Snapper 
to  put  you  ashore  at  Key  West." 

"  You  are  very  kind,  Percy." 

"  It  will  be  necessary  for  you  to  buy  a  boat  here, 
one  with  a  sail,  which  can  be  carried  on  the  deck 
of  the  steamer,"  continued  Percy,  evidently  much 
interested  in  the  scheme  he  was  maturing. 

At  this  moment  the  Dinah  was  passing  under 
the  stern  of  a  steamer,  on  which  Christy  read  the 
name  "  Ovidio." 


224  FIGHTING  FOR  THE  RIGHT 


CHAPTER  XX 

A  BAND   OF   RUFFIANS 

The  Ovidio  was  one  of  the  vessels  of  which 
Captain  Passford  had  obtained  information  in  New 
York,  and  by  which  the  traitor  merchant  had  at 
first  intended  to  send  the  machinery  on  board  of 
the  Ionian  into  the  Confederacy. 

"  That  vessel  flying  the  British  flag  appears  to 
be  a  man-of-war,"  said  Christy. 

"  That  is  just  what  she  is,  confound  h"er !  "  re- 
plied Percy  bitterly.  "  She  is  the  Greyhound,  and 
she  has  seized  the  Ovidio  which  we  just  passed ; 
but  my  father  believes  she  will  be  released ;  "  as  in 
fact  she  was,  after  a  delay  of  two  months. 

"  That  looks  a  little  like  neutrality,"  added  the 
naval  officer. 

"  But  what  do  you  think  of  my  scheme  to  get 
you  out  of  this  scrape  before  you  get  into  any 
trouble  here?"  asked  Percy,  who  seemed  to  his 
companion  to  be  altogether  too  much  interested  in 


A   BAND   OF   RUFFIANS  225 

his  plan.  "  Flanger  is  a  friend  of  mine,  for  I  was 
able  to  render  liim  a  very  important  service,  noth- 
ing less  than  getting  him  the  command  of  the 
Snapper." 

"  Of  coarse  I  want  to  get  out  of  the  scrape." 

"  I  suppose  you  haven't  money  enough  to  buy 
the  boat,  if  you  escaped  from  a  Confederate  prison ; 
but  I  will  help  you  out  on  that  by  lending  you 
forty  or  fifty  dollars." 

"Thank  you,  Percy,  you  are  behaving  like  a 
true  friend,  and  I  shall  remember  you  with  grati- 
tude," replied  Christy,  as  earnestly  as  the  occasion 
seemed  to  require.  "  Do  you  think  you  can  trust 
Captain  Flanger  to  put  me  in  the  way  to  get  to 
Key  West?" 

"  I  am  sure  I  can ! "  exclaimed  the  schemer 
warmly.     "  He  would  do  anything  for  me." 

"  But  perhaps  he  would  not  do  anything  for  me." 

"  I  hope  you  don't  mistrust  my  sincerity  in  this 
matter,  my  dear  fellow,"  continued  Percy,  with  an 
aggrieved  expression  on  his  face. 

"  Oh,  no !  Certainly  not.  I  only  suggested 
that  your  friend  the  captain  might  not  be  as  will- 
ing as  you  are  to  let  me  escape  at  Key  West." 

"  I  will  guarantee  his  fidelity.  I  am  as  sure  of 
him  as  I  am  of  myself." 


226  FIGHTING   FOE   THE   KIGHT 

"  All  riglit,  Percy,  I  will  hold  myself  subject  to 
your  orders.  But  I  think  you  had  better  buy  the 
boat,  and  put  it  on  board  of  the  Snapper,  for  I 
could  not  do  so  without  exposing  myself,"  sug- 
gested Christy.  "  I  have  some  money  that  I  con- 
cealed about  me,  and  I  will  pay  the  bills  before  I 
go  on  board  of  the  steamer." 

"I  will  do  everything  that  is  necessary  to  be 
done  with  the  greatest  pleasure.  Perhaps  you  had 
better  go  on  board  of  the  Snapper  on  our  return 
to  the  town.  Then  you  will  not  be  seen  by  any 
person,"  suggested  Percy  with  as  much  indiffer- 
ence as  he  could  assume. 

"  What  time  will  the  steamer  sail  ?  " 

"About  five  o'clock,  which  is  high  tide." 

"  It  is  only  half-past  one  now ;  besides,  I  have 
to  go  up  to  the  hotel  for  my  satchel,  and  to  pay 
my  bill.     Where  do  you  live,  Percy?  " 

"  We  have  a  house  on  Frederick  Street.  At 
what  hotel  are  you  stopping?" 

"  At  the  Royal  Victoria." 

"  What  is  the  number  of  your  room  ? "  asked 
Percy. 

"  No.  44." 

Christy  was  sharp  enough  to  comprehend  the 


A   BAND   OF   RUFFIANS  227 

object  of  these  questions ;  and,  as  a  matter  of  pre- 
caution, he  divided  the  number  of  his  room  by  two 
in  making  his  reply. 

"  That  makes  an  easy  thing  of  it,"  continued 
Percy.  "  I  will  go  to  the  Royal  Victoria  at  four 
o'clock,  pay  your  bill  and  get  your  satchel.  I  will 
meet  you  on  the  public  wharf  at  half -past,  and  see 
that  you  have  a  good  stateroom  in  the  cabin  of  the 
Snapper." 

"  That  seems  to  be  all  very  well  arranged," 
added  Christy. 

"But  I  must  see  Captain  Flanger  before  four 
o'clock.  How  much  longer  do  you  intend  to 
cruise  in  this  boat  ?  "  asked  the  schemer,  beginning 
to  manifest  a  little  impatience. 

The  conversation  had  been  carried  on  in  a  low 
tone  at  the  bow  of  the  boat,  where  the  boatman 
could  not  hear  Avhat  was  said. 

"  I  think  I  am  safer  out  here  than  I  should  be 
on  shore,"  suggested  Christy.  "  I  might  meet 
some  other  person  in  the  town  who  knows  me." 

"  All  right ;  but  I  ought  to  see  Captain  Flanger 
as  soon  as  possible,  for  I  shall  ask  him  to  buy  the 
boat,"  replied  Percy  uneasily.  "  You  might  land 
me,  and  then  sail  another  hour  or  two  yourself." 


228  FIGHTING   FOE   THE   EIGHT 

"  Very  well ;  that  will  suit  me  exactly.  Skip- 
per, this  gentleman  wishes  to  be  put  on  shore  ;  but 
I  desire  to  sail  another  hour  or  two,"  said  Christy, 
addressing-  the  boatman. 

"All  right,  sir;  I  will  go  to  the  wharf  if  you 
say  so,  but  I  can  put  the  other  gentleman  into 
that  boat  which  has  just  come  over  the  bar.  The 
boatman  is  a  friend  of  mine." 

"  Who  is  he,  David  ?  "  asked  Percy. 

"  Jim  Peckson." 

"  I  know  him,  and  I  will  go  up  in  his  boat  if  you 
will  hail  him,"  answered  the  young  Southerner. 
"  I  suppose  the  arrangement  is  well  understood," 
he  added,  dropping  his  voice  so  that  the  boatman 
could  not  hear  him.  "  You  are  to  be  on  the  public 
wharf  at  half-past  four,  when  I  come  down  with 
your  satchel." 

"  Perfectly  understood,"  added  the  other. 

David  hailed  his  friend  Jim  Peckson,  and  Percy 
was  transferred  to  his  boat.  Christy  felt  an  in- 
tense relief  in  getting  rid  of  him.  Of  course  he 
had  not  the  remotest  idea  of  going  on  board  of  the 
Snapper,  whose  brutal  commander  had  declared 
that  he  would  kill  him.  But  he  realized  thatf^''Ji[r 
Nassau  was  not  a  safe  place  for  him. 


A   BAND   OF   RUFFIANS  229 

The  boat  crossed  the  bar,  and  the  passenger 
took  his  seat  by  the  side  of  the  boatman.  David 
directed  his  boat  towards  the  larger  steamers  out- 
side, wliich  were  loading  with  cotton  from  several 
small  craft.  They  were,  doubtless,  to  convey  it  to 
England.  Christy  felt  no  interest  in  these,  for  the 
voyages  of  the  blockade-runners  ended  when  they 
reached  the  port  of  Nassau. 

"  Shall  I  sail  you  over  to  the  sea-gardens  now, 
sir?  "  asked  David,  when  his  passenger  intimated 
that  he  had  seen  enough  of  the  vessels  outside  the 
bar. 

"  Yes  ;  anywhere  you  please,  David.  I  don't 
care  about  going  on  shore  before  dark,"  replied 
Christy. 

The  passenger  was  greatly  interested  in  the  sea- 
gardens,  and  for  more  than  an  hour  he  gazed 
through  the  clear  water  at  the  sea-plants  on  the 
bottom,  and  at  the  many-colored  fishes  that  were 
swimming  about  in  the  midst  of  them.  He  was 
desirous  of  using  up  the  time  until  he  could  have 
the  covert  of  the  friendly  darkness.  He  looked  at 
his  watch,  and  found  it  was  nearly  five  o'clock. 
■•  "  What  time  is  it  high  tide,  David  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Five  o'clock,  sir." 


230  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

"  Are  there  any  steamers  to  sail  to-day  ?  I  sup- 
pose they  can  go  over  the  bar  only  at  full  sea." 

"  Only  small  vessels  can  go  over  at  any  other 
time.     The  Snapper  was  to  sail  at  high  tide." 

"  Then  I  think  we  will  run  down  by  the  light, 
and  see  her  come  out  of  the  harbor,"  added 
Christy. 

"  I  don't  believe  she  will  come  out  this  after- 
noon, sir,"  said  David. 

"Why  not?" 

"  Her  captain  got  arrested  for  something.  I  saw 
four  officers  taking  him  to  the  jail.  Some  one 
told  me  he  was  drunk,  and  had  pitched  into  a  gen- 
tleman who  was  walking  along  the  sidewalk  in 
front  of  a  saloon  on  Bay  Street." 

"  They  will  discharge  him  in  time  to  sail  on  the 
tide,  won't  they  ?  " 

"  I  don't  reckon  they  will.  The  men  from  the 
vessels  in  the  harbor  at  this  time  make  heaps  of 
trouble,"  replied  David.  "If  the  gentleman  he 
hit  had  a  mind  to  comjolain  of  him,  the  court 
would  lock  him  up  for  a  week  or  two." 

Christy  was  not  disposed,  under  the  circum- 
stances, to  make  a  complaint.  The  boat  was  soon 
in  sisrht  of  the  lisrhthouse  and  the  bar.    The  Dinah 


A   BAND   OF   RUFFIANS  231 

made  a  long  stretch  to  the  eastward,  and  was  in 
sight  of  the  entrance  to  the  harbor  till  it  began  to 
be  dark ;  but  no  steamer  came  out  on  the  high 
tide.     The  boat  crossed  the  bar  again. 

"  Now,  David,  I  want  you  to  land  me  some  dis- 
tance beyond  the  public  wharf,"  said  Christy. 
"  How  much  shall  I  pay  you  for  this  sail  ?  " 

"  About  three  dollars,  sir,  if  you  don't  think  that 
is  too  much,"  aliswered  the  boatman. 

"  That  is  very  reasonable  for  the  time  you  have 
been  out;  and  there  is  a  sovereign,"  added  the 
passenger,  as  he  handed  him  the  gold  coin. 

"  I  don't  think  I  can  change  this  piece,  sir." 

"  You  need  not  change  it ;  keep  the  whole  of 
it." 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  sir !  You  are  very  generous, 
and  I  thank  you  with  all  ray  heart.  I  don't  often 
earn  that  much  money  in  a  whole  day." 

"All  right,  David ;  I  am  satisfied  if  you  are." 

"I  am  more  than  satisfied,  sir.  But  where  shall 
I  land  you  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  the  names  of  all  the  streets,  but 
go  to  the  eastward  of  the  public  wharf." 

"  I  can  land  you  at  the  foot  of  Union  Street." 

"  How  will  I  get  to  the  Royal  Victoria  Hotel  ?  " 


232  FIGHTING    FOll   THE   RIGHT 

The  boatman  directed  him  so  that  he  could  find 
his  destination.  He  was  somewhat  afraid  tliat 
Percy  Pierson  might  be  on  the  lookout  for  the 
Dinah ;  but  by  this  time  it  was  so  dark  that  he 
could  hardly  make  her  out.  David  landed  him  at 
the  place  indicated,  and  ire  followed  the  directions 
given  him,  which  brought  him  to  the  east  end  of 
the  hotel.  It  was  too  early  to  meet  Mr.  Gilfleur, 
and  he  found  the  guests  were  at  dinner.  He  had 
eaten  nothing  since  the  lunch  on  board  of  the 
Eleuthera  ;  and,  after  he  had  looked  in  the  faces  of 
all  the  men  at  the  table,  he  took  his  place  with 
them,  and  did  full  justice  to  the  fare  set  before 
him. 

He  did  not  venture  to  remain  in  the  hotel.  He 
desired  to  see  the  detective,  for  he  had  decided  not 
to  remain  another  day  in  Nassau.  As  long  as  Percy 
Pierson  was  in  the  town,  it  was  not  a  safe  place  for 
him.  He  had  decided  to  make  his  way  across  the 
island  to  the  nook  where  the  Eleuthera  was  con- 
cealed, and  remain  on  board  of  her  until  the  detec- 
tive returned.  But  he  desired  to  see  him,  and 
report  his  intention  to  him,  so  that  he  need  not  be 
concerned  about  him. 

Christy  was  entirely  satisfied  that  he  had  cor- 


'Two    MEN    SPRANG    UPON    HIM."       Page    233. 


A    BAND   OP    RUFFIANS  233 

rectly  interpreted  the  purpose  of  Percy  to  betray 
him  into  the  hands  of  Captain  Fhmger.  As  he 
was  not  on  the  public  wliarf  at  half-past  four, 
doul)tless  he  had  been  on  the  lookout  for  him. 
He  knew  David,  and  his  first  step  would  bo  to  find 
him.  The  boatman  would  be  likely  to  tell  hhn 
that  his  fellow-passenger  in  the  Dinah  had  gone 
to  the  hotel.  He  visited  the  place  arranged  for 
his  meeting  with  Mr.  Gilfleur;  but  it  was  in  ad- 
vance of  the  time,  and  he  was  not  there.  He 
walked  about  the  hotel  grounds,  careful  to  avoid 
every  person  who  came  in  his  way. 

In  the  darkness  he  saw  a  man  approaching  him, 
and  he  turned  about,  walking  away  in  the  opposite 
direction.  But  presently  this  person  moved  off 
towards  the  hotel,  and  he  started  aofain  for  the 
rendezvous  with  the  detective.  He  had  gone  but 
a  short  distance  before  two  men  sprang  upon  him, 
one  of  them  taking  him  in  the  rear,  and  hugging 
him  so  that  he  could  not  move  his  arms.  He  began 
a  mighty  struggle ;  but  two  more  men  came  out  of 
their  hiding-place,  and  a  pair  of  handcuffs  were 
slipped  upon  his  wrists. 

Then  he  attempted  to  call  for  assistance,  but  a 
handkerchief  was  promptly  stuffed  into  lu;-;  niou'.li. 


234  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   HIGIIT 

and  the  ruffians  hurried  liim  out  through  a  narrow 
gateway  to  an  unfrequented  street,  where  a  car- 
riage appeared  to  be  in  waiting  for  them. 

"Drive  to  the  beach  back  of  Fort  Montague," 
said  one  of  them. 

It  was  the  voice  of  Captain  Flanger. 


A  QUESTION   OF   NEUTRALITY  285 


CHAPTER  XXI 

A  QUESTION   OF   NEUTRALITY 

Even  before  he  heard  the  voice  of  his  savage 
enemy,  Christy  Passford  realized  that  he  had 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  commander  of  the 
Snapper.  He  was  placed  on  the  back  seat  of  the 
carriage,  with  a  pair  of  handcuffs  on  his  wrists, 
and  a  handkerchief  in  his  month  to  do  duty  as  a 
gag.  Captain  Flanger  was  at  his  side,  with  two 
other  men  on  the  front  seat,  and  one  on  the  box 
with  the  driver.  Against  these  four  men  he  was 
powerless  to  make  any  resistance  while  he  was  in 
irons. 

The  carriage  was  drawn  by  two  horses,  and  was 
considerably  larger  than  the  ordinary  victoria 
used  in  the  town.  It  was  quite  dark,  and  though 
the  streets  were  flanked  with  many  houses,  hardly 
a  person  appeared  to  be  stirring  at  this  hour.  But 
a  vehicle  loaded  down  with  the  rough  visitors  of 
the  place  could  not  be  an  unusual  sight,  for  they 


236  FIGHTING   FOR   THIi  EIGHT 

were  the  kind  of  people  who  were  disposed  to 
make  the  night  hideous,  as  well  as  the  day. 

Christy  had  struggled  with  all  his  might  to 
shake  off  the  ruffians  who  beset  him,  and  two  more 
had  come  out  from  their  concealment  when  he 
thought  he  was  making  some  progress  in  freeing 
himself  from  their  grasp.  As  soon  as  his  wrists 
were  ironed  he  realized  that  resistance  was  use- 
less, and  that  it  could  only  increase  his  discomfort. 
It  was  a  terrible  calamity  to  have  fallen  into  the 
power  of  a  man  so  brutal  and  unscrupulous  as 
Captain  Flanger,  bent  upon  revenging  himself  for 
the  mutilation  of  his  most  prominent  facial  mem- 
ber. He  was  certainly  disfigured  for  life,  though 
the  wound  made  by  the  ball  from  the  revolver  had 
healed ;  but  it  was  an  ill-looking  member,  and  he 
appeared  to  be  conscious  of  his  facial  deformity  all 
the  time. 

The  men  in  the  carriage  said  nothing,  and 
Christy  was  unable  to  speak.  They  seemed  to 
be  afraid  of  attracting  the  attention  of  the  few 
passers-by  in  the  streets,  and  of  betraying  the  nature 
of  the  outrage  in  which  they  were  engaged.  The 
streets  in  the  more  frequented  parts  of  the  town 
were  crowded  with  men,  as  the  victim  had  been  able 


A  QUESTION   OF   NEUTRALITY  237 

to  see,  and  he  hoped  that  they  would  come  across 
some  large  collection  of  people.  In  that  case  he 
decided  to  make  a  demonstration  that  would  attract 
the  attention  of  the  police,  if  nothing  more. 

He  had  no  idea  of  the  location  of  Fort  Mon- 
tague, to  which  the  man  on  the  box  had  been 
ordered  to  drive  them.  The  direction  was  to  a 
beach  near  the  fort ;  and  he  had  no  doubt  there 
would  be  a  boat  there  in  readiness  to  convey  him 
to  the  Snapper.  But  the  farther  the  carriage  pro- 
ceeded, the  less  frequented  the  streets  became.  He 
found  no  opportunity  to  make  his  intended  demon- 
stration. His  only  hope  now  was  that  Mr.  Gil- 
fleur,  who  must  have  been  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
hotel,  had  witnessed  the  outrage,  and  would  inter- 
fere, as  he  had  done  on  Bay  Street,  and  save  liim 
from  the  fate  that  was  in  store  for  him. 

In  a  rather  lonely  place  Christy  discovered  the 
outline  in  the  darkness  of  what  looked  like  a  fort. 
At  the  same  moment  he  heard  the  distant  stroke 
of  some  public  clock,  striking  nine  o'clock.  This 
was  the  time  appointed  for  the  meeting  with  the 
detective,  and  he  had  been  at  the  place  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  before,  which  fully  explained  why  the 
detective  had  not  been  there ;  and  probably  he  had 


238  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

been  in  his  room.  This  conclusion  seemed  to  cut 
off  all  hope  that  he  had  witnessed  the  attack  upon 
him. 

The  carriage  stopped  at  the  beach  below  the 
fort.  It  was  the  bathing-place  for  the  town,  and 
at  this  hour  it  was  entirely  deserted.  The  person 
on  the  box  with  the  driver  was  the  first  to  aliglit, 
and  he  ran  down  to  the  water.  He  returned  in  a 
few  minutes  to  the  carriage,  the  other  ruffians 
retaining  their  places. 

"  The  boat  is  not  here  yet,  but  it  is  coming," 
said  this  man,  reporting  to  the  captain. 

"  All  right ;  I  told  the  mate  to  be  here  at  nine 
o'clock,  and  it  has  just  struck  that  hour,"  replied 
Flanger.     "Go  down  to  the  water,  driver." 

The  vehicle  moved  down  to  the  water's  edge 
and  stopped  again.  At  the  same  time  the  boat 
grated  on  the  sand,  and  came  to  a  halt  a  few  feet 
from  the  dry  ground. 

"  We  are  all  right  now,"  said  the  person  who 
had  been  with  the  driver  on  the  box ;  and  this 
time  Christy  recognized  his  voice  as  that  of  Percy 
Piers  on. 

He  had  not  mistaken  or  misjudged  him.  He 
had  not  been  able  to  understand  why  the  young 


A  QUESTION   OF   NEUTRALITY  239 

man  should  befriend  liim,  and  it  was  clear  enough 
now,  if  it  had  not  been  before,  that  his  gratitude 
towards  him  was  a  mere  pretence.  Captain  Pass- 
ford,  senior  desired  to  get  rid  of  him,  and  had  put 
him  on  board  of  the  schooner  for  this  reason  only. 

"  Captain  Passford,  we  meet  again,  as  I  was  sure 
we  should  when  we  parted  in  Nassau  to-day," 
said  the  commander  of  the  Snapper.  "Now,  if 
you  will  take  the  trouble  to  get  out  of  the  carriage, 
we  shall  be  able  to  make  you  comfortable  before 
we  have  done  with  you." 

Christy  attempted  to  speak ;  but  the  gag  pre- 
vented him  from  articulating,  and  he  could  not 
breath  as  freely  as  usual.  The  captain  drew  the 
handkerchief  from  his  mouth,  for  there  was  no  one 
within  a  long  distance  of  the  spot  to  aid  the 
prisoner  if  he  had  called  for  help.  The  victim 
had  fully  determined  to  resign  himself  to  his  fate, 
and  make  the  best  of  the  situation  until  an  oppor- 
tunity offered  to  effect  liis  escape,  though  he 
greatly  feared  that  such  an  opportunity  would 
not  be  presented. 

"  Thank  you,  Captain  Flanger ;  I  am  much 
obliged  to  you  for  giving  me  a  better  chance  to 
breathe,  though  I  suppose  you  are  not  very  anxious 


240  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

that  I  should  continue  to  breathe/'veplied  Christy, 
assuming  a  degree  of  good  nature  which  had  no 
substantial  foundation  in  reality.  "  On  the  con- 
trary, I  dare  say  you  intend  to  stop  my  breathing 
altogether  as  soon  as  you  find  it  convenient  to 
do  so." 

"Not  so;  you  can  do  all  the  breathing  you 
want  to,  and  I  won't  interfere  as  long  as  you 
behave  yourself,"  replied  Captain  Flanger  in  a 
more  civilized  tone  than  his  victim  had  heard  him 
use  before. 

"But  to-day  noon  you  swore  that  you  would 
kill  me,"  added  the  prisoner,  much  surprised  at 
tlie  change  in  tlie  manner  of  the  ruffian  since  they 
had  met  on  the  sidewalk. 

"  I  have  altered  my  mind,"  replied  the  captain, 
leaving  Christy  in  the  hands  of  his  companions, 
and  walking  down  to  tlie  boat,  where  the  two  men 
in  it  seemed  to  be  trying  to  find  deeper  water ,  so 
as  to  bring  it  nearer  to  the  shore. 

"  Well,  how  do  you  find  yourself,  Christy  ? " 
asked  Percy,  placing  liimself  in  front  of  him. 

"  I  haven't  lost  myself  so  far,  and  I  am  as  com- 
fortable as  could  be  expected  under  the  circum- 
stances,"   answered    Clnisty,   whose   pride   would 


A   QUESTION   OF   NEUTRALITY  241 

not  permit  him  to  show  that  he  was  overcome  or 
cast  clown  by  the  misfortune  which  had  overtaken 
him. 

"  You  did  not  come  to  the  public  wharf  as  you 
promised  to  do  at  half-past  four  o'clock  this 
afternoon,"  Percy  proceeded. 

"I  did  not;  David  sailed  me  off  to  the  sea- 
gardens,  and  we  did  not  get  back  to  the  town  in 
season  for  me  to  keep  the  appointment." 

"  Then  you  intended  to  keep  it  ?  " 

"  I  did  not  say  so." 

"  I  had  the  idea  you  were  a  fellow  that  kept  all 
the  promises  he  made,  even  if  it  hurt  him  to 
do  so." 

"  Do  you  think  you  would  have  kept  your 
promise  *to  have  Captain  Flanger  land  me  at  Key 
West,  if  I  had  been  weak  enough  to  go  on  board 
of  his  steamer?"  demanded  Christy. 

"  You  are  fighting  on  one  side,  and  I  am  fighting 
on  the  other,  Christy ;  and  I  suppose  either  of  us 
is  justified  in  ly'mg  and  breaking  his  promises  in 
the  service  of  his  country." 

"  You  are  fighting  on  your  side  at  a  very  con- 
venient distance  from  the  battle-ground,  Percy." 

"  I  am  fifrhtinor  here  because  I  can  render  the 


242  riGHTING    FOR   THE   lUGHT 

best  service  to  my  country  in  this  particular  place," 
replied  the  young  Southerner  with  spirit.  "  I  am 
sure  I  could  not  do  anything  better  for  my  coun- 
try than  send  you  back  to  the  Confederate  prison 
from  which  you  escaped." 

"Even  if  you  violate  the  neutrality  of  the 
place,"  suggested  Christy.  "  The  British  govern- 
ment was  ready  to  declare  war  against  the  United 
States  when  a  couple  of  Confederate  commis- 
sioners were  taken  out  of  an  English  steamer  by 
a  man-of-war.  Do  you  suppose  that  when  this 
outrage  is  known,  England  will  not  demand  repara- 
tion, even  to  the  restoring  of  the  victim  to  his 
original  position  on  this  island  ?  I  hope  you  have 
considered  the  consequences  of  this  violation  of 
the  neutrality  of  the  place." 

"  I  don't  bother  my  head  about  matters  of  that 
sort.  I  have  talked  about  it  with  my  father,  and  I 
think  he  understands  himself,"  replied  Percy  very 
flippantly. 

"I  don't  think  he  does.  I  have  the  same  rights 
in  Nassau  that  you  anel  j^our  fatlier  possess.  You 
are  carrying  on  tlie  war  on  neutral  ground ;  and 
no  nation  would  permit  that." 

"  I  am  no  lawyer,    Christy.     I  only  know  that 


A  QUESTION   OF   NEUTRALITY  243 

you  have  clone  a  great  deal  of  mischief  to  our 
cause  in  the  Gulf,  as  set  forth  in  the  letters  of 
your  uncle  to  my  father." 

"  But  I  have  fought  my  battles  in  the  enemy's 
country,  or  on  the  open  sea  ;  and  I  have  not  doiie 
it  while  skulking  under  a  neutral  flag,"  replied  the 
naval  officer,  with  quite  as  much  spirit  as  his  ad- 
versary in  the  debate.  "  You  and  Captain  Flanger, 
with  the  co-operation  of  your  father,  it  appears, 
are  engaged  in  a  flagrant  outrage  against  the  sov- 
ereignty of  England." 

"  My  father  has  nothing  to  do  with  it ;  I  will 
take  back  what  I  said  about  him,"  added  Percy, 
evidently  alarmed  at  the  strength  of  the  argument 
against  him. 

"  You  told  me  that  you  had  talked  with  your 
father  about  the  case." 

"  But  I  withdraw  that  statement ;  he  knows 
nothing  about  it." 

"  You  make  two  diametrically  opposite  state- 
ments ;  and  I  am  justified  in  accepting  the  one  that 
suits  me  best  as  the  truth.  If  Captain  Flanger 
does  not  hang  me  to  the  yard-ai-m  as  soon  as  he 
gets  me  into  blue  water,  I  shall  make  my  com- 
plaint to  the  United  States  government  as  soon  as 


244  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

I  have  an  opportunity  to  do  so  ;  and  I  have  no 
doubt  you  and  your  father  will  have  permission 
to  leave  Nassau,  never  to  return." 

Percy  was  silent,  and  appeared  to  be  in  deep 
thought.  Captain  Flanger  had  returned  to  the 
spot  from  the  boat,  and  had  listened  to  the  last 
part  of  the  discussion. 

"  Captain  Flanger  understands  enough  of  inter- 
national law  to  see  that  I  am  right,"  continued 
Christy,  when  Percy  made  no  reply. 

"  The  people  here  treat  us  very  handsomely,  my 
little  larky,"  said  Captain  Flanger,  with  a  coarse 
laugh.  "  I  am  not  to  be  scared  out  of  my  game 
by  any  such  bugbears  as  you  talk  about.  But  I 
am  willing  to  say  this,  my  little  rooster :  I  have 
no  intention  to  hang  you  to  the  yard-arm,  as  you 
hinted  that  I  might." 

"  At  noon  to-day  you  swore  that  3'^ou  would 
kill  me." 

"  I  have  altered  my  mind,  as  I  told  you  before," 
growled  the  commander  of  the  Snapper,  with  very 
ill  grace,  as  though  he  was  ashamed  because  he 
had  abandoned  his  purpose  to  commit  a  murder. 
"  I  am  not  what  you  call  a  temperance  man  ;  and 
when  I  get  ashore,  and  in  good  company,  I  some- 


A  QUESTION   OF   NEUTRALITY  245 

times  take  a  little  more  good  whiskey  than  it  is 
prudent ;  but  I  don't  drink  anything  on  board  of 
my  ship.  To  cut  it  short,  I  was  a  little  too  much 
in  tlie  wind  when  I  said  I  was  going  to  kill  you. 
I  am  sober  now." 

"  I  think  you  must  be  able  to  see  what  the  con- 
sequences of  murdering  a  person  captured  on 
British  soil  would  be,  Captain  Flanger,"  suggested 
Christy. 

"  As  I  have  told  you  twice  before,  I  do  not  in- 
tend to  murder  you,"  said  the  captain  angrily. 
"  I  am  going  to  put  you  back  in  the  prison  horn 
which  you  escaped ;  that's  all.  No  more  talk  ; 
take  him  to  the  boat." 

The  two  men  at  Christy's  side  marched  him 
down  to  the  boat,  and  seated  him  in  the  stern. 
The  rest  of  the  party  took  places,  and  shoved  off. 
In  half  an  hour  the  boat  was  alongside  the 
Snapper. 


246  FIGHTING  FOK  THE  RIGHT 


CHAPTER  XXII 

ON  BOARD   OF   THE   SNAPPER 

Christy  could  not  help  seeing  that  a  great 
change  had  come  over  the  manner  of  Captain 
Flanger,  especially  in  his  repeated  declarations 
that  he  did  not  intend  to  kill  his  prisoner.  His 
thirst  for  revenge  could  hardly  have  abated  as  the 
effect  of  his  cups  passed  off,  and  it  was  evident  to 
the  victim  of  the  outras^e  that  some  other  influence 
had  been  brought  to  bear  upon  him.  It  did  not 
seem  possible  to  him  that  Percy  Pierson  could 
have  modified  his  vindictive  nature  to  this  degree. 

The  young  man's  father  could  not  fail  to  see  the 
peril  of  the  step  his  son  was  taking,  though  he 
appeared  not  to  have  been  able  to  resist  the  temp- 
tation to  get  rid  of  such  an  active  enemy  as 
Christy  had  proved  himself  to  be.  It  looked  plain 
enough  to  the  victim,  as  he  considered  the  situation, 
that  Colonel  Pierson's  influence  had  produced  the 
change  in  the  intentions  of  Captain  Flanger.     If 


ON   BOAllD   OF   THE   SNAPPER  247 

tlie  prisoner  were  brutally  treated,  and  especially 
if  his  life  were  taken,  it  would  make  the  breach 
of  neutrality  so  much  the  more  flagrant. 

"  Help  the  young  cub  on  board,"  said  the  cap- 
tain, as  he  went  up  the  accommodation  ladder,' fol- 
lowed by  Percy. 

With  his  wrists  fettered  with  a  pair  of  hand- 
cuffs, Christy  needed  assistance  to  mount  the 
vessel's  side.  He  was  handled  with  more  consid- 
eration than  he  expected,  and  reached  the  deck 
without  any  injury.  By  the  order  of  the  captain 
he  was  conducted  to  the  cabin,  where  he  seated 
himself  on  a  stool  near  the  companion-way.  A 
few  minutes  later  Percy  came  down  the  steps  with 
a  valise  in  his  hand,  which  he  deposited  in  one  of 
the  staterooms. 

"I  am  your  fellow-passenger,  Christy,"  said  he, 
when  he  came  out  of  the  room.  "  I  hope  we  shall 
be  good  friends." 

"  After  the  treachery  which  has  been  practised 
upon  me  to-day,  there  cannot  be  much  love  wasted 
between  us,  though  I  am  not  disposed  to  be  a  bear, 
even  under  the  present  unfavorable  circumstances," 
replied  the  prisoner.  "  I  suppose  this  steamer  is  to 
run  the  blockade  ?  " 


248  FIGHTING   FOK   THE   EIGHT 

"  Of  course  she  is  to  run  the  blockade  ;  how  else 
could  she  get  into  Mobile?  "  replied  Percy. 

"  You  can  bet  your  wortliless  life  she  is  going 
to  run  the  blockade,  and  you  may  be  sure  that  she 
will  get  in  too,"  added  Captain  Flanger,  who  came 
into  the  cabin  at  the  moment  the  question  was 
asked. 

"  By  the  way,  Christy,  from  what  prison  in  the 
Confederacy  did  you  make  your  escape?  " 

"  If  you  will  excuse  me,  I  prefer  to  answer  no 
questions." 

"  Just  as  you  please,  my  boy.  We  shall  know 
all  about  it  when  we  get  to  Mobile,"  said  Percy 
lightly.  "  I  am  going  home  for  a  few  days  to  see 
my  mother,  who  is  in  feeble  health.  I  don't  want 
to  quarrel  with  you ;  and  if  I  can  be  of  any  ser- 
vice to  you  after  we  get  into  port,  I  shall  be  happy 
to  do  so.  We  sail  at  about  five  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  on  the  higli  tide." 

"  Captain  Passford,"  began  the  commander,  in  a 
more  subdued  tone  than  the  prisoner  had  ever 
heard  him  use. 

"  That  title  docs  not  apply  to  me  now.  Captain 
Flanger,"  Christy  interposed.  "  If  I  ever  get 
back  to  my  duty  on  shipboard,  it  will  be  as  second 
lieutenant  of  the  Belle vite." 


ON   BOARD   OF   THE   SNAPPER  249 

"Mr.  Passforcl,  if  that  suits  you  better,  I  was 
going  to  say  that  I  mean  to  treat  you  like  a  gen- 
tleman, whether  you  are  one  or  not,  in  spite  of  my 
shattered  and  battered  nose,"  added  the  captain. 

"  I  do  not  consider  myself  responsible  for  'the 
condition  of  your  nose,  Captain  Flanger.  At  the 
time  you  received  that  wound  you  were  engaged 
in  a  daring  adventure,  with  two  revolvers  in  your 
hands,  ready  to  blow  my  brains  out.  It  was  war, 
and  I  did  nothing  but  my  plain  duty ;  and  even  in 
a  time  of  peace  I  had  the  natural  right  to  de- 
fend myself,  and  save  my  own  life,  even  at  the  sac- 
rifice of  yours,  as  you  were  the  assailant,"  argued 
Christy  quite  warmly.  "  You  would  have  put  a 
ball  tlirough  my  head  or  heart  if  I  had  not  fired 
at  the  moment  I  did." 

"  Why  didn't  you  shoot  me  like  a  gentleman, 
and  not  blow  my  nose  off  ?  "  demanded  the  captain 
bitterly. 

"  I  had  to  fire  in  a  hurry ;  and  I  did  not  aim  at 
your  nose.  I  could  only  discharge  my  weapon  on 
the  instant,  and  I  had  no  time  to  aim  at  any  par- 
ticular part  of  you.  I  intended  simply  to  cover 
your  head." 

"But  you  blowed  my  nose  off  all  the  same." 


250  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

"  I  had  no  grudge  against  your  nose.  Do  you 
think  it  would  be  honorable  for  a  soldier  to  re- 
venge himself  on  neutral  g^round  for  a  wound 
received  in  the  field  ?  " 

"  But  it  was  a  sneaking  Yankee  trick  to  shoot 
at  a  man's  nose,  even  in  a  square  battle  by  sea  or 
by  land,"  protested  the  captain  with  a  rattling 
oath. 

It  was  useless  to  discuss  the  matter  with  such  a 
man,  though  he  had  probably  been  charged  by 
Colonel  Pierson  not  to  do  his  prisoner  any  injury, 
and  Christy  relapsed  into  silence. 

"  If  you  propose  to  treat  me  like  a  gentleman, 
whether  I  am  one  or  not,  may  I  ask  where  you 
propose  to  berth  me,  for  I  am  very  much  fatigued 
to-night?"  asked  the  prisoner  later  in  the  evening. 

"  I  mean  to  give  you  as  good  a  stateroom  as  I 
have  myself ;  but  it  will  contain  two  berths,  and 
the  mate  will  occupy  the  lower  one,  to  prevent  you 
from  escaping,  if  you  should  take  it  into  your 
head  to  do  so,"  replied  the  captain,  as  he  opened 
the  door  of  one  of  the  rooms. 

"  I  can  hardly  get  into  the  upper  berth  with  my 
wrists  ironed,"  said  the  prisoner,  exhibiting  his 
fetters. 


ON  BOARD  OF  THE  SNAPPER       251 

"  That  is  so,"  replied  the  captain,  taking  the 
key  of  the  manacles  from  his  pocket  and  removing 
tliem.  "  But  I  warn  you  that  any  attempt  to 
escape  may  get  you  into  a  worse  scrape  than  you 
are  in  now.  When  we  get  to  sea  you  shall  have 
your  liberty." 

"  Thank  you.  Captain,  for  this  indulgence.  I 
suppose  you  will  not  make  a  long  voyage  of  it  to 
Mobile.  I  presume  you  go  to  the  northward  of 
Great  Abaco  Island?"  asked  Christy,  though  he 
hardly  expected  to  receive  an  answer  to  his  ques- 
tion. 

"  Why  do  you  presume  such  a  stupid  idea  as 
that  ? "  demanded  the  captain,  who  seemed  to 
regard  the  inquiry  as  an  imputation  upon  his  sea- 
manship ;  and  the  inquirer  had  put  the  question 
to  provoke  an  answer.  "  I  have  been  sailing  nearly 
all  my  life  in  these  waters,  and  I  know  where  I 
am.  Why  should  I  add  three  hundred  miles  to 
my  voyage  when  there  is  no  reason  for  it?  " 

"  I  am  not  much  acquainted  down  here." 

"  I  shall  go  through  the  North-west,  or  Provi- 
dence Channel." 

Captain  Flanger  did  not  know  that  the  steamer 
Chateaugay  was  cruising  somewhere  in  the  vicin- 


252  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   FLIGHT 

ity  of  the  Bahamas ;  but  his  jDiisoner  did  know  it, 
and  the  information  given  him  was  not  pleasant  or 
satisfactory.  Captain  Chantor  had  tokl  him  that 
he  intended  to  stand  off  and  to  the  eastward  of 
Great  Abaco,  and  he  had  been  cherishing  a  ho2:)e~ 
that  he  woukl  fall  in  with  the  Snaj)per,  though  he 
might  not  find  evidence  enough  on  board  of  her  to 
warrant  her  capture. 

If  he  fell  in  with  the  steamer,  he  would  be  likely 
to  examine  her ;  and  that  would  lead  to  the  release 
of  the  involuntary  passenger.  But  if  tlie  Snaj:»per 
went  through  the  Providence  Channel,  the  Cha- 
teaugay  would  not  be  likely  to  fall  in  with  her. 
It  looked  to  the  unfortunate  officer  as  though  he 
was  booked  for  a  rebel  prison.  He  could  see  no 
hope  of  escape,  though  he  was  duly  grateful  foi 
the  change  which  had  come  over  his  vicious  perse 
cutor.  If  he  was  allowed  his  .liberty,  he  might 
find  some  avenue  of  escape  open.  It  was  useless 
to  groan  over  his  fate,  and  he  did  not  groan ;  but 
he  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  a 
long  time  before  he  took  possession  of  his  state- 
room in  the  ward  room  of  the  Bellevite. 

Availing  himself  of  the  permission  given  to  him, 
he  went   into  the  room,   and  turned  in  with  his 


ON  BOARD  OF  THE  SNAPPER       253 

clothes  on,  so  that  he  might  be  in  readiness  for 
any  event.  Mr.  Gilfleur  would  miss  him  at  the 
rendezvous  agreed  upon ;  but  he  would  have  no 
means  of  knowing  that  anything  had  happened  to 
him.  Tired  as  he  was,  he  was  not  inclined-  to 
sleep.  Presently  he  heard  a  conversation  which 
was  not  intended  for  his  ears,  for  it  was  carried  on 
in  very  low  tones. 

"  Do  you  know,  Captain  Flanger,  that  I  believe 
we  are  getting  into  a  very  bad  scrape  ?  "  said 
Percy  Pierson  in  a  subdued  tone. 

"  What  are  you  afraid  of  ?  "  demanded  the  cap- 
tain, in  a  voice  hardly  above  a  whisper. 

"  My  father  refused  at  first  to  permit  the  capture 
of  Passford,"  added  Percy.  "  He  would  consent 
to  it  only  after  you  had  promised  to  treat  him 
well." 

"  I  am  treating  him  as  well  as  I  know  how, 
though  it  goes  against  my  grain.  We  will  get 
him  into  the  jail  in  Mobile,  and  keep  him  there 
till  the  Yankees  have  acknowledged  the  indepen- 
dence of  the  Confederacy,  and  paid  for  all  the  dam- 
age they  have  done  to  our  country.  How  is  any 
one  in  Washington  or  London  to  know  anything 
about  this  little  affair  of  to-nigfht?  " 


254  FIGHTING   FOE   THE   RIGHT 

"  I  don't  know  liow ;  but  if  it  should  get  out, 
the  Yankees  would  make  an  awful  row,  and 
England  would  be  obliged  to  do  something  about 
it." 

"  But  we  must  make  sure  that  it  does  not  get 
out.  The  young  cub  has  a  deal  of  spirit  and 
pluck,  and  he  would  not  live  long  if  he  were  shut 
up  on  such  rations  as  our  men  have." 

Percy  seemed  to  be  better  satisfied  than  he  had 
been,  and  the  conversation  turned  to  other  sub- 
jects in  which  the  listener  had  no  interest.  With- 
out much  of  an  effort  he  turned  over  and  went  to 
sleep.  When  he  woke  in  the  morning  he  heard 
the  tramp  of  footsteps  on  the  deck  over  his  head, 
and  he  concluded  that  the  steamer  was  getting 
under  way.  If  the  mate  had  slept  in  the  berth 
below  him,  he  had  not  seen  or  heard  him.  He 
leaped  out  of  the  bed,  and  descended  to  the  floor. 
When  he  tried  the  door  he  found  that  it  was 
locked. 

Presently  he  heard  the  movement  of  the  screw, 
and  felt  the  motion  of  the  vessel.  There  was  a 
port  light  to  the  room,  and  he  placed  himself 
where  he  could  see  out  at  it.  But  there  was 
nothing  to  be  seen  which  afforded  him  any  hope 


ON  BOARD  OF  THE  SNAPPER       255 

or  comfort.  There  must  be  a  pilot  on  board,  and 
he  began  to  wonder  if  there  could  be  any  way  to 
communicate  with  him.  He  took  from  his  pocket 
a  piece  of  paper  and  pencil.  He  wrote  a  brief 
statement  of  the  outrage  which  had  been  perpe- 
trated upon  him,-  folded  the  paper,  and  put  it  in 
his  vest  pocket,  where  he  could  readily  slip  it  into 
the  hand  of  the  pilot,  if  he  found  the  opportunity 
to  do  so.  The  captain  had  promised  to  give  him 
his  liberty  when  the  vessel  got  out  to  sea,  and  he 
hoped  to  be  able  to  go  on  deck  before  the  pilot  left 
the  steamer. 

The  Snapper  continued  to  go  ahead,  and  in  a 
short  time  she  made  a  sort  of  a  plunge,  as  she 
went  over  the  bar.  The  motion  of  the  steamer 
began  to  be  rather  violent,  and  Christy  saw 
through  the  port  the  white  caps  that  indicated 
a  strong  north-west  wind.  When  the  vessel  had 
continued  on  her  course  for  a  couple  of  hours,  she 
stopped,  and  the  prisoner  saw  the  pilot  boat  drop 
astern  a  little  later.  The  opportunity  to  deliver 
his  statement  had  passed  by,  and  he  tore  up  the 
paper,  keeping  the  fragments  in  his  pocket,  so  that 
they  should  not  expose  his  intention. 

He  had  scarcely  destroyed  the  paper  befoi-e  his« 


256  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

door  was  thrown  open  by  Percy  Pierson,  who 
informed  him  that  he  was  at  liberty  to  go  on  deck 
if  he  wished  to  do  so.  He  accepted  the  permis- 
sion. Pie  could  see  the  land  in  the  distance  in 
several  directions,  but  he  had  no  interest  in  any- 
thing. He  was  called  to  breakfast  soon  after,  and 
he  took  a  hearty  meal,  for  the  situation  had  not 
yet  affected  his  appetite.  In  the  middle  of  the 
forenoon,  with  the  light  at  Hole  in  the  Wall  on 
the  starboard,  and  that  on  Stirrup  Cay  on  the  port, 
the  course  of  the  Snapper  was  changed  to  the 
north-west. 

At  this  point  Christy  discovered  a  three-masted 
steamer,  which  had  also  excited  the  attention  of 
Captain  Flanger.  It  looked  like  the  Chateaugay  ; 
and  ..the  prisoner's  heart  bounded  with  emotion. 


THE   CHATEAUGAY   IN   THE   DISTANCE       257 


CHAPTER   XXIII 

THE   CHATEAUGAY   IN   THE   DISTANCE 

The  steamer  which  Christy  had  discovered  was 
a  long  distance  from  the  Snapper.  She  had  just 
come  about,  and  this  movement  had  enabled  the 
prisoner  to  see  that  she  had  three  masts  ;  but  that 
was  really  all  there  was  to  lead  him  to  suppose 
she  was  the  Chateaugay.  She  was  too  far  off  for 
him  to  make  her  out ;  and  if  he  had  not  known 
that  she  was  cruising  to  the  eastward  of  the 
Bahamas,  it  would  not  have  occurred  to  him  that 
she  was  the  steamer  in  which  he  had  been  a 
passenger  two  days  before. 

Captain  Flanger  discovered  the  sail  a  few 
minutes  later,  and  fixed  his  attention  upon  it.  In 
the  business  in  which  he  was  eng-agfed  it  was 
necessary  to  practise  the  most  unceasing  vigilance. 
But,  at  this  distance  from  any  Confederate  port, 
the  commander  of  the  steamer  did  not  appear  to 
be  greatly  disturbed  at  the  sight  of  a  distant  sail, 


258  riGHTIKG   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

believing  that  liis  danger  was  nearer  the  shores  of 
the  Southern  States.  Doubtless  he  had  papers  of 
some  sort  which  would  show  that  his  vessel  had 
cleared  for  Havana,  or  some  port  on  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico. 

Christy  did  not  deem  it  wise  to  manifest  any 
interest  in  the  distant  sail,  and,  fixing  his  gaze 
upon  the  deck-planks,  he  continued  to  walk  back 
and  forth,  as  he  was  doing  when  he  discovered  the 
steamer.  He  had  not  been  able  to  make  out  her 
course.  He  had  first  seen  her  when  she  was  in 
the  act  of  turning,  obtaining  only  a  glance  at  the 
three  masts.  Whether  or  not  she  was  "  end-on  " 
for  the  Snapper,  he  could  not  determine,  and 
Captain  Flanger  seemed  to  be  studying  up  this 
question  with  no  little  earnestness. 

The  principal  mission  in  these  waters  of  the 
Chateaugay  was  to  look  up  the  Ovidio,  of  which 
Captain  Passford  in  New  York  had  obtained  some 
information  through  his  agents.  This  vessel  was 
not  simply  a  blockade-runner,  but  was  intended 
for  a  cruiser,  though  she  had  sailed  from  Scotland 
without  an  armament.  It  was  known  that  she 
would  proceed  to  Nassau,  and  tliis  fact  had  sug- 
gested to  Mr.  Gilfleur  liis  visit  to  that   port   to 


THE   CHATEAUGAY   IN   THE   DISTANCE       259 

obtain  reliable  information  in  regard  to  her,  as  well 
as  incidentally  to  look  into  the  methods  of  fitting 
out  vessels  for  running  the  blockade. 

Captain  Chantor  was  expecting  to  fall  in  with  the 
Ovidio,  even  before  the  return  of  his  two  passen- 
gers. He  did  not  believe  the  authorities  at  Nassau 
would  permit  her  to  take  on  board  an  armament  at 
that  port;  but  a  rendezvous  had  probably  been 
arranged,  where  she  was  to  receive  her  guns  and 
ammunition.  But  the  only  safe  channel  for  any 
vessel  to  get  to  the  deep  sea  from  Nassau  was  by 
the  one  that  had  received  the  name  of  Providence. 
This  channel  is  a  continuation  of  what  is  called 
"  The  Tongue  of  the  Ocean,"  which  extends  over 
a  hundred  miles  south  of  New  Providence,  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  fathoms  in  depth,  and  bordered  by 
innumerable  cays,  reefs,  and  very  shoal  water. 

South  of  Great  Abaco  Island,  this  channel,  from 
thirty  to  forty  miles  wide,  divides  into  the  North- 
east and  North-west  Channels,  and  all  vessels  of 
any  great  draught  can  safeTy  get  out  to  sea  only 
tln^ough  one  of  them.  It  was  evident  enough  to 
Captain  Chantor,  who  was  familiar  with  the  navi- 
gation of  these  seas,  that  the  Ovidio  must  come 
out  through  one  of  the  channels  indicated.   CJji-isty 


260  FIGllTmG   FOK   THE   RIGHT 

had  talked  with  the  commander  of  the  Chateaugay 
in  regard  to  these  passages,  and  knew  that  it  was 
his  intention  to  keep  a  close  watch  over  them. 

He  could  not  be  sure  that  the  steamer  in  the 
distance  was  the  Chateaugay ;  but  the  more  he 
recalled  what  had  passed  between  himself  and 
Captain  Chantor,  and  considered  the  situation,  the 
stronger  became  liis  hope  that  it  was  she.  He  was 
sure  that  she  had  come  about,  and  he  reasoned  that 
she  had  done  so  when  her  commander  ascertained 
that  the  steamer  he  had  sighted  laid  her  course 
thi'ough  the  North-west  Channel.  This  was  as  far 
as  he  could  carry  his  speculations. 

Without  understanding  the  situation  as  well  as 
did  his  prisoner,  Captain  Flanger  seemed  to  be 
nervous  and  uneasy.  He  watched  the  distant  sail 
for  a  long  time,  sent  for  his  sp3''-glass  and  exam- 
ined her,  and  then  began  to  plank  the  deck.  When 
he  came  abreast  of  Christy  he  stopped. 

"  Do  you  see  that  sail  off  to  the  eastward,  Mr. 
Passford?" 

"  I  see  it  now.  Captain,"  replied  the  prisoner,  as 
indifferently  as  possible,  for  he  felt  that  it  would 
be  very  imprudent  to  manifest  any  interest  in  the 
matter.. 


THE   CHATEAUGAY   IN   THE   DISTANCE       261 

"  Can  you  make  out  what  she  is  ?  "  continued 
the  captain. 

"  I  cannot ;  she  must  be  eight  or  ten  miles  from 
us,"  replied  Christy,  as  he  glanced  to  the  east- 
ward. 

"  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  that  was  one  of  your 
Yankee  gunboats,"  added  Captain  Flanger,  spicing 
liis  remark  with  a  heavy  oath,  for  he  could  hardly 
say  anything  without  interlarding  his  speech  with 
profanity. 

"  It  may  be,  for  aught  I  know,"  replied  the  pris- 
oner with  something  like  a  yawn. 

"  Whatever  she  is,  the  Snapper  can  run  away 
from  her,  and  you  need  not  flatter  yourself  that 
there  is  any  chance  for  you  to  escape  from  a  Con- 
federate prison  ;  and  when  they  get  you  into  it, 
they  will  hold  on  very  tight." 

"  I  must  take  things  as  they  come,"  added 
Christy. 

He  wanted  to  ask  the  captain  why  he  wondered 
if  the  sail  was  a  Yankee  gunboat,  but  he  did  not 
think  it  would  be  prudent  to  dq  so.  The  captain 
seemed  to  have,  or  pretended  to  have,  great  confi- 
dence in  the  speed  of  the  Snapper.  When  he  left 
his  prisoner  he  went  to  the  engine-room,  and  it  was 


262  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

soon  evident  from  the  jar  and  shake  of  the  vessel 
that  he  had  instructed  the  chief  engineer  to  in- 
crease the  speed. 

Christy  watched  the  distant  sail  for  about  three 
hours  before  he  could  come  to  any  conclusion.  At 
the  end  of  this  time  he  was  satisfied  that  the  three- 
masted  steamer  was  gaining  very  decidedly  upon 
the  Snapper.  He  began  to  cherish  a  very  lively 
hope  that  the  sail  would  prove  to  be  the  Chateau- 
gay.  Captain  Flanger  remained  on  deck  all  the 
forenoon,  and  every  hour  that  elapsed  found  him 
more  nervous  and  excitable. 

"  I  reckon  that's  a  Yankee  gunboat  astern  of  us, 
Mr.  Passford ;  but  I  am  going  to  get  away  from 
her,"  said  the  captain,  as  they  sat  down  to  dinner. 

"  Is  she  gaining  upon  you.  Captain  ? "  asked 
Christy. 

"  I  don't  think  she  is  ;  but  if  she  does  get  any 
nearer  to  us,  I  shall  give  her  the  slip.  The 
Snapper  is  going  into  Mobile  Bay  as  sure  as  you 
live.  You  can  bet  your  life  on  it,"  insisted  the 
captain. 

Clnisty  was  not  disposed  to  converse  on  the 
subject,  and  he  began  to  wonder  in  what  manner 
the  Snapper  could  give  her  pursuer  the  slip.     The 


THE  CHATEAUGAY   IN   THE   DISTANCE       263 

former  was  the  smaller  vessel,  and  probably  did  not 
draw  over  fourteen  feet  of  water,  if  slie  did  more 
than  twelve.  It  might  be  possible  for  her  to  run 
■  into  shoal  water  where  the  pursuer  could  not  fol- 
low her. 

After  the  dinner  table  was  cleared  off,  the  cap- 
tain seated  himself  at  it  with  a  chart  spread  out 
before  him.  It  was  plain  enough  that  he  was  de- 
vising some  expedient  to  escape  the  three-master. 
Christy  did  not  deem  it  prudent  to  observe  him, 
and  he  went  on  deck.  It  was  as  clear  as  the  day- 
light that  the  pursuer  was  gaining  rapidly  upon 
the  Snapper ;  and  the  prisoner  did  not  believe  that 
the  latter  was  making  over  twelve  knots. 

By  this  time  seven  hours  had  elapsed  since 
the  distant  sail  had  come  in  sight,  and  she  was 
now  near  enough  for  the  prisoner  to  be  sure  that 
she  was  the  Chateaugay.  She  could  make  sixteen 
knots  when  driven  at  her  best,  and  she  must  be 
gaining  four  or  five  knots  an  hour  on  the  chase. 
Christy  had  been  through  this  channel  in  the 
Bellevite,  and  he  discovered  that  the  steamer  was 
running  near  the  shoal  water.  Presently  the  cap- 
tain came  on  deck,  and  he  appeared  to  be  less 
nervous  than  before,  perhaps  because  he  had  ar- 
ranged his  plan  to  escape  his  pursuer. 


2G-i  FIGHTING    FOR    THE    EIGHT 

Within  an  hour  Christy  recognized  the  East 
Isaac,  a  rock  rising  ten  or  twelve  feet  above  the 
surface  of  the  water,  which  he  identified  by  its 
nearness  to  one  over  which  the  sea  was  break- 
ing. The  captain  was  too  much  occupied  in  the 
study  of  the  surroundings  to  take  any  notice  of 
him,  and  he  endeavored  to  keep  out  of  his  sight. 

The  prisoner  consulted  his  watch,  and  found  it 
was  four  o'clock.  The  tower  of  the  Great  Isaac 
light  could  just  be  made  out.  The  Chateaugay 
was  not  more  than  four  miles  astern  of  the 
Snapper,  and  in  another  hour  she  would  certainly 
come  up  with  her,  if  Captain  Flanger  did  not  put 
his  plan  into  execution.  The  course  of  the  chase 
continued  to  bring  her  nearer  to  the  reefs. 

"  Ring  one  bell !  "  shouted  the  captain  to  the 
quartermaster  at  the  wheel. 

The  effect  of  one  bell  was  to  reduce  the  speed 
of  the  Snapper  by  one-half.  The  order  to  put  the 
helm  hard  a  starboard  followed  in  a  short  time. 
The  course  was  made  about  south,  and  the  steamer 
went  ahead  slowly.  Two  men  in  the  chains  were 
heaving  the  lead  constantly.  They  were  reporting 
four  and  five  fathoms.  After  the  vessel  had  gone 
five  or  six  miles  on  this  course,  it  was  changed  to 


THE   CHATEAUGAY   IN   THE   DISTANCE       2G5 

about  south-west.  She  was  then  moving  in  a 
direction  directly  opposite  to  tliat  of  the  Chateau- 
gay,  and  the  anxious  prisoner  could  see  the  man- 
of-war  across  the  reefs  which  lifted  their  heads 
above  the  water,  very  nearly  abreast  of  the  Snap- 
per, though  at  least  ten  miles  distant  from  her. 

"  Do  you  know  what  steamer  that  is,  Mr.  Pass- 
ford  ?  "  asked  Captain  Flanger,  coming  aft,  appar- 
ently for  the  purpose  of  finding  him. 

"  How  should  I  know,  Captain  ?  "  asked  Christy. 

"  I  thought  you  might  know  her  by  sight." 

"  I  could  hardly  be  expected  to  know  all  the 
ships  in  the  United  States  navy  by  sight,  Captain, 
for  there  are  a  great  many  of  them  by  this  time." 

"  All  right ;  she  looks  like  a  pretty  large  vessel, 
and  the  bigger  the  better.  I  hope  you  won't  get 
up  a  disappointment  for  yourself  by  expecting  that 
you  are  going  to  get  out  of  this  scrape,"  said  Cap- 
tain Flanger,  and  there  was  a  great  deal  of  bitter- 
ness in  his  tones. 

"  I  am  taking  things  as  they  come.  Captain." 

"  The  Snapper  is  not  a  man-of-war,  and  she  is 
engaged  in  a  peaceful  voyage.  "  If  that  fellow 
thinks  of  capturing  me,  he  is  reckoning  without 
his  host.     He  has  no  more  right  to  make  a  prize  of 


266  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

me  than  he  has  to  murder  me,"  protested  the  cap- 
tain, as  he  gave  the  order  to  hoist  the  British  flag. 

"  Of  course  you  know  your  business  better  than 
I  do.  Captain  Flanger,  and  I  don't  propose  to  in- 
terfere with  it,"  replied  Christy. 

The  commander  walked  forward  again,  giving 
the  order  to  the  quartermaster  to  ring  two  bells, 
which  presently  brought  the  steamer  to  a  full  stop, 
quite  near  the  rocks  which  were  awash  to  the 
northward  of  her.  As  the  captain  moved  forward 
he  encountered  the  first  officer  in  the  waist,  who 
addressed  him,  and  they  began  a  conversation, 
none  of  which  Christy  could  hear.  From  the 
looks  and  gestures  of  the  mate,  he  concluded  that 
they  were  talking  about  him. 

It  was  not  difficult  to  imagine  the  subject  of 
the  conversation,  and  it  was  evident  to  Clnisty 
that  the  first  officer  had  suggested  an  idea  to  his 
commander.  Wliile  he  was  waiting  impatiently 
to  ascertain  what  the  Chateaugay  would  do  next, 
Percy  Pierson  came  on  deck  looking  very  pale, 
for  it  had  been  reported  at  breakfast  that  he  was 
very  sea-sick. 

"  How  are  you,  Christy  ? "  asked  the  South- 
erner. 


THE   CHATEAUGAY   IN   THE   DISTANCE.      267 

"  I  am  very  well,  I  tliank  you." 

"Haven't  you  been  sea-sick ?"  asked  the  in- 
valid. 

"  Of  course  not ;  I  never  was  sea-sick  " 

"  But  what  has  the  steamer  stopped  for?  "  asked 
Percy,  looking  about  him. 

"Captain  Flanger  seems  to  think  that  vessel 
over  there  is  a  United  States  man-of-war." 

"Will  she  capture  the  Snapper?"  asked  the 
sufferer,  looking  paler  than  before. 

At  this  moment  a  boat  was  lowered  from  the 
davits  into  the  water,  and  Christy  was  invited  by 
the  mate  to  take  a  seat  in  the  stern  sheets.  He 
was  astounded  at  this  request,  and  wondered  what 
it  meant. 


268  FIGHTING  FOR  THE  EIGHT 


CHAPTER    XXIV 

THE     TABLES    TURNED 

Christy  understood  the  character  of  Captain 
Flanger  well  enough  to  be  conjfident  he  meant 
mischief  to  him  in  getting  him  into  the  boat.  He 
concluded  that  this  movement  was  the  result  of 
the  conference  with  the  mate.  He  had  a  suspicion 
that  his  terrible  enemy  intended  to  drown  him,  or 
get  rid  of  him  in  some  other  manner. 

"  May  I  ask  where  I  am  to  be  taken  in  the  boat, 
Mr.  Dawbin?  "  asked  the  prisoner,  suppressing  as 
much  as  he  could  the  excitement  that  disturbed 
him. 

"  I  give  you  leave  to  ask,  but  I  cannot  answer 
you,"  replied  the  mate. 

"  If  you  intend  to  put  me  on  board  of  that 
steamer,  it  can  do  no  harm  to  say  so,  I  think," 
added  Christy. 

"  If  you  will  excuse  me,  Mr.  Passford,  I  cannot 
answer  any  questions.  I  ask  you  again  to  get 
into  the  boat,"  said  Mr.  Dawbin. 


THE   TABLES   TURNED  269 

"  Well,  sir,  suppose  I  decline  to  do  so  ?  " 

"  Then  I  shall  be  compelled  to  use  force,  and 
tumble  you  into  the  boat  in  the  best  way  I  can, 
with  the  assistance  of  my  men." 

"If  you  intend  to  murder  me,  why  can't  you 'do 
the  deed  here  on  deck?  "  demanded  the  prisoner. 

"  I  don't  intend  to  murder  you." 

"  That  is  some  consolation.  That  lighthouse  on 
the  Great  Isaac  is  the  only  place  to  which  you  can 
convey  me,  and  that  is  sixteen  miles  from  this 
steamer.  I  can't  believe  you  intend  to  pull  me 
that  distance." 

"  No  fooling  there  ! "  shouted  the  captain. 
"What  are  you  waiting  for,  Mr.  Dawbin?  Why 
don't  you  obey  my  order?  " 

"  The  fellow  wants  to  talk,"  replied  the  mate. 

"  If  he  won't  get  into  the  boat,  pitch  him  into  it 
like  a  dead  dog  !  " 

Christy  saw  that  it  was  useless  to  resist,  though 
he  had  a  revolver  in  his  pocket  which  had  not 
been  taken  from  him,  for  he  had  not  been  searched. 
The  mate  and  two  sailors  stood  in  front  of  him, 
and  he  realized  that  he  could  accomplish  nothing 
by  resistance  under  present  circumstances.  He 
thouo-ht  he  could  do  better  in  the  boat  after  it  was 


270  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

beyond  the  reach  of  any  reinforcements  from  the 
steamer.  He  went  over  the  side,  and  took  his 
place  in  the  stern  sheets. 

The  mate  followed  him,  and  the  two  men,  one 
of  whom  was  hardly  more  than  a  boy,  took  their 
places  on  the  thwarts.  The  boat  was  shoved  off, 
and  the  prisoner  had  an  immediate  interest  in  the 
course  it  was  about  to  steer.  The  mate  arranged 
the  tiller  lines,  and  then  looked  about  him. 

He  directed  his  gaze  towards  the  north,  and 
seemed  to  be  trying  to  find  some  object  or  point. 
He  satisfied  himself  in  some  manner,  and  then 
resumed  his  seat,  from  which  he  had  risen  in  order 
to  obtain  a  better  view  over  the  waves.  The  pas- 
senger had  watched  him  closely,  and  found  that 
his  vision  had  been  directed  towards  the  rocks 
awash  and  the  East  Isaac  rock.  Towards  these 
objects  he  steered  the  boat.  The  Chateaugay  was 
at  least  three  miles  to  the  eastward  of  these 
rocks. 

Christy  watched  the  course  of  the  boat  long 
enough  to  satisfy  himself,  that  it  was  headed  for 
the  rocks,  which  were  awash  at  high  tide,  though 
they  now  looked  like  a  minute  island.  There 
could  be  but  one  object  in  visiting  this  locality : 


THE  TABLES   TURNED  271 

and  that  must  be  to  leave  him  on  that  desolate 
reef.  The  wind  was  still  fresh  from  the  north- 
west, and  the  spray  was  dashed  over  the  rocks  in  a 
manner  which  suggested  that  a  human  being  could 
not  remain  long  on  it  after  the  tide  was  high  with 
out  being  washed  off.  It  was  little  better  than 
murder  to  leave  him  there,  and  he  knew  very  well 
that  Captain  Flanger  would  shed  no  tears  if  assured 
that  his  troublesome  prisoner  was  no  more. 

Christy  decided  that  he  would  not  be  left  on  the 
reef,  or  even  on  the  top  of  the  East  Isaac,  which 
might  be  a  drier  place,  though  hardly  more  com- 
fortable. It  must  have  been  Mr.  Dawbin  who 
had  suggested  the  idea  of  landing  Mm  on  the  reef, 
for  there  was  no  other  place  nearer  than  the  Great 
Isaac  light.  Captain  Flanger  had  boasted  that  he 
sailed  a  vessel  on  a  peaceful  mission,  and  that  the 
commander  of  the  Chateaugay  had  no  more  right 
to  capture  him  than  he  had  to  murder  him.  But 
the  prisoner  knew  that  the  Snapper  was  to  run  the 
blockade,  and  was  bound  to  Mobile,  for  the  captain 
had  told  him  so  himself. 

The  commander  could  now  see  the  folly  of  his 
boast.  He  had  not  expected  to  encounter  a  United 
States  man-of-war  in  the  Bahamas.     His  prisoner 


272  FIGHTING    FOK   THE   RIGHT 

was  a  naval  officer,  and  would  be  a  strong  witness 
against  him.  Upon  his  testimony,  and  such  other 
evidence  as  the  cargo  and  other  circumstances 
miglit  supply,  the  captain  of  the  steamer  in  the 
channel  might  feel  justified  in  making  a  prize  of 
the  Snapper.  It  was  necessary,  therefore,  to  remove 
this  witness  against  him.  As  Christy  had  imagined, 
the  captain  had  not  thought  of  his  prisoner  as  a 
witness,  and  the  mate  had  suggested  it  to  him. 

"  I  suppose  I  need  not  ask  you  what  is  to  be 
done  with  me,  for  that  is  sufficiently  apparent 
now,"  said  Christy,  more  to  engage  the  attention 
of  tlie  mate  than  for  any  other  reason. 

"  You  can  form  your  own  conclusion,"  replied 
Mr.  Dawbin. 

"  You  intend  to  leave  me  on  that  reef  ahead, 
and  doubtless  you  expect  me  to  be  washed  off  and 
drowned,  or  starved  to  death  there,"  added  the 
prisoner.  "I  can't  see  why  you  take  all  this 
trouble  when  you  could  more  conveniently  blow 
my  brains  out." 

"  The  captain  has  promised  not  to  harm  you, 
Mr.  Passford,  and  he  will  keep  his  word,"  replied 
the  mate  with  very  ill  grace. 

"  I  consider  it  worse  than  murder  to  leave  me 


THE  TABLES   TURNED  273 

on  that  reef,  or  any  of  these  rocks,  Mr.  Dawbin. 
Since  I  understand  your  intention,  I  might  as  well 
put  a  bullet  through  my  own  head,  and  save  myself 
from  all  the  suffering  in  store  for  me,"  said  Christy, 
assuming  the  manner  of  one  rendered  desperate  by 
his  situation.  "  Have  you  a  revolver  in  your 
pocket?" 

"  I  have  not  a  revolver  in  my  pocket ;  and  if  I 
had  I  should  not  lend  it  to  you  to  shoot  yourself," 
replied  the  mate. 

Mr.  Dawbin  had  no  revolver  in  his  pocket,  and 
that  was  all  the  prisoner  had  been  driving  at.  He 
was  equally  confident  that  neither  of  the  sailors 
was  armed,  for  he  had  looked  them  over  to  see  if 
there  was  any  appearance  of  pistols  in  their  pockets. 

"  You  are  making  altogether  too  much  fuss  over 
this  little  matter,  Mr.  Passford.  The  captain  de- 
sires you  to  remain  on  one  of  these  rocks  till  he 
gets  through  his  business  with  the  commander  of 
of  that  steamer  in  the  channel,  which  is  now 
headed  for  the  Snapper,"  the  mate  explained. 
"  When  that  is  finished  we  will  take  you  off  and 
proceed  on  our  voyage." 

"  You  had  better  put  a  Inillet  through  my  liend." 

"I  don't  think  so.     It  is  no  great  hardship  for 


274  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

you  to  stay  a  few  hours  on  that  rock.  You  have 
had  your  dinner,  and  you  will  not  starve  to  death. 
I  don't  think  you  will  have  to  stay  there  long,  for 
that  steamer  draws  too  much  water  to  come  in 
among  these  reefs,  and  she  will  be  hard  and  fast  on 
one  of  the  shoals  before  she  goes  much  farther." 

"  Possibly  her  captain  knows  what  he  is  about  as 
well  as  you  do,"  suggested  Christy. 

"  I  don't  believe  he  does.  There  isn't  a  fathom 
of  water  on  some  of  these  shoals." 

But  the  Chateaugay  kept  on  her  course,  though 
she  proceeded  very  slowly.  When  she  was  off  the 
Gingerbread  Cay  she  stopped  her  screw,  and  she 
was  near  enough  for  the  observer  to  see  that  she 
was  lowering  at  least  two  boats  into  the  water.  In 
a  few  minutes  more  they  were  seen  pulling  towards 
the  Snapper,  whose  boat  was  now  very  near  the 
reef  which  had  been  selected  as  the  prisoner's  abid- 
ing-place. A  few  minutes  later  the  keel  ground 
on  the  coral  rock. 

"  Jump  ashoi-e,  both  of  you,  and  take  the  painter 
with  you,  my  men,"  said  the  mate,  when  the  boat 
stuck  about  six  feet  from  the  top  of  the  ledge. 

The  two  sailors  waded  to  the  highest  part  of  the 
reef,  and  began  to  haul  in  on  the  painter ;  but  they 


THE  TABLES    TURNED  275 

could  not  get  it  anything  less  than  three  feet  from 
the  rock. 

"  We  can't  get  the  boat  any  nearer,  Mr.  Passf  ord ; 
but  you  are  a  vigorous  young  man,  and  you  can 
easily  leap  to  the  rock,"  said  Mr.  Dawbin. 

"  Do  you  think  you  could  leap  to  the  ledge  ?  " 
asked  Christy,  looking  him  sharp  in  the  eye. 

"  I  know  I  could." 

"  Let  me  see  you  try  it,  Mr.  Dawbin,"  replied 
Christy,  with  his  right  hand  on  his  revolver. 

"  Come,  come !  Mr.  Passford.  No  fooling.  I 
have  no  time  to  spare,"  growled  the  mate. 

"  I  am  not  fooling.  As  you  consider  it  no  hard- 
ship to  pass  a  few  hours  on  that  rock,  I  am  going 
to  trouble  you  to  take  my  place  there." 

"  No  nonsense  !     I  am  not  to  be  trifled  with  !  " 

"  Neither  am  I,"  added  the  prisoner,  as  he  drew 
out  his  weapon,  and  aimed  it  at  the  head  of  the 
mate.  "  You  can  take  your  choice  between  the 
rock  and  a  ball  from  my  revolver,  Mr.  Dawbin." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  murder  me  ?  'J  demanded  the 
mate. 

"  I  hope  you  will  not  compel  me  to  do  so  harsli 
a  thing  as  that.  But  no  fooling  !  I  have  no  time 
to  spare.     Jump  on  the  rock,  or  I  will  lire  before 


27G  FIGHTING   FOE   THE   EIGHT 

you  are  ten  seconds  older !  "  said  Christy  reso- 
lutely. 

"  Come  back  into  the  boat,  men !  "  shouted  the 
officer. 

"  The  first  one  that  comes  any  nearer  the  boat  is 
a  dead  man  !  "  added  the  prisoner.'  "  Five  seconds 
gone,  Mr.  Dawbin." 

The  mate  did  not  wait  for  anything  more,  but 
made  the  leap  to  the  rock.  He  accomplished  it  so 
hastily  that  he  fell  when  he  struck  the  ledge ;  but 
the  impetus  he  had  given  the  boat  forced  it  from 
the  rock,  and  sent  it  a  considerable  distance. 
Christy  restored  the  revolver  to  his  pocket,  and, 
taking  one  of  the  oars,  he  sculled  towards  the 
Chateaugay,  which  was  now  much  nearer  than  the 
Snapper.  The  two  boats  from  the  man-of-war  took 
no  notice  of  him,  and  perhaps  did  not  see  him. 

Taking  out  his  white  handkerchief  he  attached 
it  to  the  blade  of  one  of  the  oars,  and  waved  it 
with  all  his  might  in  the  direction  of  the  steamer. 
He  set  it  up  in  the  mast-hole  through  the  forward 
thwart,  and  then  continued  to  scull.  But  his  sig- 
nal was  soon  seen,  and  a  boat  came  off  from  the 
steamer. 

"  Boat  ahoy ! "  shouted  the  officer  in  charge  of 
the  cutter. 


THE   TABLES   TURNED  277 

"  In  the  boat ! "  replied  Christy,  turning  around 
as  he  suspended  his  labor  with  the  oar. 

"  Lieutenant  Passford  !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Hack- 
ling, the  second  lieutenant  of  the  Chateaugay. 
"  Is  it  possible  that  it  is  you?" 

"  I  haven't  any  doubt  of  it,  Mr.  Hackling,  if  you 
have,"  replied  the  late  prisoner,  heartily  rejoiced 
to  find  himself  in  good  company  again. 

"  But  what  does  this  mean  ?  How  do  you  hap- 
pen to  be  here  ? "  demanded  the  astonished  lieu- 
tenant of  the  ship. 

"  I  happen  to  be  here  because  I  have  just  played 
a  sharp  game.  I  was  a  prisoner  on  that  steamer 
yonder,  on  my  way  to  a  rebel  prison.  But  I  think 
it  is  necessary  that  I  should  report  immediately  to 
Captain  Chantor  in  regard  to  the  character  of  the 
Snapper,  which  is  the  name  of  the  vessel  you  have 
been  chasing." 

The  Snapper's  boat  was  taken  in  tow,  and  the 
crew  of  the  cutter  gave  way  with  a  will.  In  due 
time  Christy  was  received  with  the  most  un- 
bounded astonishment  by  the  commander  on  the 
deck  of  the  Chateaugay. 

"  Where  is  Mr.  Gilfleur  ?  I  hope  that  no  acci- 
dent has  happened  to  him,"  said  the  captain  with 
deep  anxiety  on  his  face. 


278  FIGHTING   FOR   THE    P.IGHT 

"  Noiie  that  I  am  aware  of ;  but  if  you  will 
excuse  me  from  explanations  for  the  present,  I 
will  state  that  the  steamer  on  the  bank  is  the 
Snapper,  Captain  Flanger,  bound  for  Mobile  ;  and 
the  captain  told  me  that  he  intended  to  run  the 
blockade." 

"  Mr.  Hackling,  take  charge  of  the  second  cutter, 
and  give  Mr.  Birdwing  my  order  to  make  a  prize 
of  that  steamer,  and  bring  her  off  to  the  deep 
water." 

It  was  quite  dark  when  this  order  was  executed. 


CAPTAIN  FLANGEK  IN  IRONS       279 


CHAPTER  XXV 

CAPTAIN  FLANGER  IN  IRONS 

Christy  Passford  related  to  Captain  Chantor 
all  that  liad  occurred  to  the  detective  and  himself 
from  the  time  of  their  departure  from  the  ship  to 
their  parting  on  the  shore ;  and  he  did  not  fail  to 
mention  the  fact  that  Mr.  Gilfleur  had  come  to  his 
assistance  when  he  was  assaulted  by  the  ruffian  in 
front  of  the  saloon. 

"  You  have  had  a  narrow  escape,  Mr.  Passford," 
said  the  commander,  when  he  had  concluded. 
"  The  idea  of  avenging  an  injury  received  in  tliat 
way  is  something  I  never  happened  to  hear  of 
before,  though  my  experience  is  not  unlimited. 
Mr.  Birdwing,"  he  continued,  after  the  first  lieu- 
tenant had  reported  to  him,  "  had  you  any  diffi- 
culty in  effecting  the  capture  of  the  Snapper  ?  " 

"  Only  with  the  captain  ;  for  my  force  was  suffi- 
cient to  have  taken  her  if  she  had  been  fully  armed 
and  manned.     There  was  no   fighting  ;  but  I  was 


280  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

obliged  to  put  the  captain  in  irons,  for  lie  was 
about  the  ugliest  and  most  unreasonable  man  I 
ever  encountered,"  replied  the  chief  of  the  boat 
expedition.  "  I  was  not  at  all  satisfied  that  the 
steamer  was  a  fit  subject  for  capture  till  your 
order  came  to  me,  brought  by  Mr.  Hackling. 
Then  Captain  Flanger  not  only  protested,  with 
more  bad  language  than  I  ever  before  heard  in  the 
same  time,  but  he  absolutely  refused  to  yield.  I 
could  not  give  him  the  reasons  that  induced  you 
to  send  me  the  order,  and  I  referred  the  matter  to 
you." 

The  Snapper  had  been  anchored  within  a  cable's 
length  of  the  Chateaugay,  and  Mr.  Birdwing  had 
brought  Captain  Flanger  on  board  of  the  ship, 
with  Percy  Pierson,  that  the  question  of  prize 
might  be  definitely  settled  by  the  commander,  for 
he  was  not  quite  satisfied  himself.  The  captain 
of  the  Snapper  was  still  in  irons,  and  he  and  his 
companion  had  been  put  under  guard  in  the  waist. 
The  man  with  the  mutilated  nose  had  not  yet  seen 
Christy,  and  possibly  he  was  still  wondering  what 
had  become  of  his  chief  officer  and  the  two  men 
who  had  been  ordered  to  put  the  prisoner  on  the 
ledge. 


"Jump  ox  the  rock  or  I  will  fire   before  you  are  tex  seconds 
OLDER."      Page   276. 


CAPTAIN    FLANGER   IN   IRONS  281 

Christy  had  informed  Captain  Chantor,  in  his 
narrative,  of  the  manner  in  which  he  had  turned 
the  tables  on  his  custodians,  and  he  had  not  for- 
gotten that  the  party  were  still  where  he  had  left 
them.  He  reminded  the  commander  of  the  latter 
fact,  and  a  quartermaster  was  sent  in  the  third 
cutter  to  bring  them  off,  and  put  them  on  board  of 
the  Snapper ;  where  a  considerable  force  still  re- 
mained under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Carlin,  the  third 
lieutenant. 

"  Now  we  will  settle  this  matter  with  the  cap- 
tain of  the  Snapper,  and  I  hope  to  convince  him 
that  his  vessel  is  a  lawful  prize,  so  far  as  she  can 
be  so  declared  in  advance  of  the  decision  of  the 
court,"  said  Captain  Chantor.  "  Come  with  me, 
if  you  please,  Mr.  Birdwing.  For  the  present, 
Mr.  Passford,  will  you  oblige  me  by  keeping  in  the 
shade  till  I  send  for  you?  " 

"  Certainly,  Captain  Chantor,  though  I  should 
like  to  hear  what  Captain  Flanger  has  to  say  in 
defence  of  his  steamer,"  replied  the  passenger. 
"  But  I  will  take  care  not  to  show  myself  to  him 
till  you  are  ready  for  me." 

"  I  do  not  object  to  that  arrangement.  I  do  not 
quite  understand  who  this  Percy  Pierson  is,  though 


282  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

you  mentioned  him  in  your  report  of  what  had 
occurred  during  your  absence,"  added  the  com- 
mander. 

"  He  is  the  son  of  Colonel  Richard  Pierson, 
a  Confederate  commissioner,  who  represents  his 
government  at  Nassau,  purchasing  vessels  as  op- 
portunity to  do  so  is  found.  His  son  is  the  per- 
son who  tried  to  induce  me  to  take  passage  in  the 
Snapper,  with  the  promise  that  I  should  be  per- 
mitted to  land  at  Key  West.  It  was  only  a  trick 
to  get  me  on  board  of  the  steamer ;  and  when  it 
failed,  for  I  declined  to  fall  into  the  trap,  I  was 
captured  by  a  gang  of  four  or  five  ruffians,  Cap- 
tain Flanger  being  one  of  them,  and  conveyed  to 
the  vessel,  where  I  was  locked  up  in  a  stateroom 
till  after  she  had  sailed." 

"  That  is  a  proper  question  for  the  British  gov- 
ernment to  deal  with,  and  I  hope  it  will  be  put  in 
the  way  of  adjustment  by  the  proper  officials, 
though  I  am  inclined  to  regard  it  as  an  act  of  war, 
which  will  justify  me  in  holding  the  men  engaged 
in  the  outrage  as  prisoners.  Do  you  know  who 
they  are,  Mr.  Passford  ?  " 

"  I  can  designate  only  three  of  them, — the  cap- 
tain, Mr.  Dawbin,  the  mate,  who  is  now  on  the 


CAPTAIN   FLANGER    IN   IRONS  283 

ledge,  and  Percy  Pierson.  I  am  sure  they  were 
all  in  the  carriage  that  conveyed  me  to  the  beach 
where  I  was  put  into  the  boat.  The  others  were 
sailors,  and  I  could  not  identify  them." 

"  I  will  hold  the  three  you  name  as  prisonere," 
added  Captain  Chantor,  as  he  moved  forward,  fol- 
lowed by  the  executive  officer. 

It  was  getting  dark,  and  Christy  made  liis  way 
to  the  shadow  of  the  mainmast,  where  he  obtained 
a  position  that  enabled  him  to  hear  all  that  passed 
without  being  seen  himself.  Captain  Flanger 
seemed  to  be  more  subdued  than  he  had  been 
reported  to  be  on  board  of  the  Snapper,  and  the 
commander  ordered  the  irons  to  be  taken  from  his 
wrists. 

"  Captain  Flanger,  I  have  concluded  to  make  a 
prize  of  the  Snapper;  but  I  am  willing  to  hear 
anything  you  may  wish  to  offer,"  Captain  Chantor 
began. 

"  I  protest ;  you  have  no  more  right  to  make  a 
prize  of  my  vessel  than  you  have  to  capture  a 
British  man-of-war,  if  you  were  able  to  do  such 
a  thing,"  replied  the  commander  of  the  Snapper. 

"  Do  you  claim  that  the  Snapper  is  a  British 
vessel ?  " 


284  FIGHTING    FOE,    THE   HIGIIT 

"  Yes,  I  do  ! "  blustered  Captain  Flanger  reck 
lessly. 

"■  Are  you  a  British  subject  ?  " 

"  No,  I  am  not ;  but  I  am  not  attempting  to  run 
the  blockade." 

"  For  what  port  are  you  bound?  " 

"  Havana." 

"  Have  you  a  clearance  for  that  port?  " 

"  For  Havana,  and  a  market." 

"  But  you  have  no  more  idea  of  going  to  Havana 
than  you  have  of  going  to  China,"  added  the  cap- 
tain of  the  Chateaugay.  "  You  are  bound  to 
Mobile,  and  you  intend  to  run  the  blockade  ;  and 
that  intention  proved,  you  are  liable  to  capture." 

"  You  seem  to  know  my  business  better  than  I 
know  it  myself,"  said  Captain  Flanger,  with  a 
sneer  in  his  tones. 

"  Perhaps  I  know  it  quite  as  well  as  you  do,  at 
least  so  far  as  the  voyage  of  the  Snapper  is  con- 
cerned," replied  the  commander  of  the  Chateaugay, 
who  proceeded  to  explain  international  law  in 
relation  to  the  intention  to  run  the  blockade.  "  I 
shall  be  able  to  prove  in  the  court  which  sits  upon 
your  case  that  you  left  Nassau  for  the  purpose  of 
running  the  blockade  established  at  the  entrance 


CAPTAIN   FLANGER   IN   IRONS  285 

of  Mobile  Bay.  I  presume  that  will  be  enough  to 
satisfy  both  you  and  the  court.  In  Nassau  you  did 
not  hesitate  to  announce  your  intention  to  run  the 
blockade,  and  get  into  Mobile." 

"  I  should  like  to  see  you  prove  it,"  growled  the 
captain  of  the  Snapper,  in  his  sneering  tones. 

"  I  don't  think  you  would  like  to  see  me  do  it; 
but  I  will  take  you  at  your  word,  and  prove  it 
now.  I  have  an  excellent  witness,  to  whom  you 
made  your  announcement ;  "  and  at  this  remark 
Christy  stepped  out  from  behind  the  mainmast, 
and  placed  himself  in  front  of  the  astounded  ruf- 
fian. "  Lieutenant  Passford,  a  naval  officer  in 
excellent  repute,  is  all  ready  to  make  oa,th  to  your 
assertions." 

Captain  Flanger  and  Percy  Pierson  gazed  in 
silence  at  the  witness,  for  they  supposed  he  was  on 
the  ledge  to  which  he  had  been  transported  by  the 
boat.  Christy  repeated  what  he  had  said  before, 
and  stated  in  what  manner  he  had  been  made  a 
prisoner  on  board  of  the  Snapper. 

"  For  this  outrage  in  a  neutral  port  I  shall  hold 
you  and  Mr.  Pierson  as  prisoners,  leaving  the  gov- 
ernment to  determine  what  steps  shall  bo  taken  in 
regard  to  you;  but  I  trust  you  will  be  handed  over 


286  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

to  the  authorities  at  Nassau,  to  be  properly  pun- 
ished for  the  outrage." 

Of  course  this  decision  did  not  suit  Captain 
Flanger ;  and  Percy  Pierson  appeared  to  be  in- 
tensely alarmed  at  the  prospect  before  him.  Cap- 
tain Chantor,  after  consulting  with  his  naval 
passenger,  determined  to  send  the  Snapper  to  Key 
West,  from  wliich  she  could  readily  be  despatched 
to  New  York  if  occasion  should  require.  Mr. 
Carlin  was  appointed  prize-master,  with  a  sufficient 
crew;  and  at  daylight  the  next  morning  he  sailed 
for  his  destination. 

The  boat  which  had  been  sent  for  the  mate  and 
two  men  belonging  to  the  Snapper  put  them  on 
board  of  the  steamer;  but  the  captain  and  the 
passenger  were  retained  on  board  of  the  Chateau- 
gay.  The.  man  with  the  mutilated  nose  was  so 
disgusted  at  the  loss  of  his  vessel,  and  with  the 
decision  of  his  captor,  that  he  could  not  contain 
himself ;  and  it  became  necessary  not  only  to 
restore  his  irons,  but  also  to  commit  him  to  the 
"  brig,"  which  is  the  ship's  prison. 

"  What  is  to  become  of  me,  Christy  ? "  asked 
Percy  in  the  evening,  overcome  with  terror  at  the 
prospect  before  him. 


CAPTAIN   FLANGER    IN    lEONS  287 

"  That  is  more  than  I  can  inform  you,"  replied 
Christy  coldly. 

"  But  we  had  no  intention  of  doing  you  any 
harm  ;  and  we  treated  you  well  after  you  went  on 
board  of  the  Snapper." 

"  You  committed  a  dastardly  outrage  upon  me  ; 
but  your  punishment  will  be  left  to  others." 

"  But  I  had  no  intention  to  do  you  any  harm," 
pleaded  Percy. 

"  No  more  lies !  You  have  told  me  enough 
since  I  met  you." 

"  But  I  am  speaking  the  truth  now,"  protested 
the  frightened  Southerner. 

"  No,  you  are  not ;  the  truth  is  not  in  you ! 
Did  you  mean  me  no  harm  when  you  attempted  to 
entice 'me  on  board  of  the  Snapper?  Did  you 
mean  me  no  harm  when  you  engaged  Flanger  and 
his  ruffians  to  make  me  a  prisoner,  and  put  me  on 
board  of  his  steamer?  It  was  a  flagrant  outrage 
from  beginning  to  end ;  for  I  had  the  same  rights 
in  Nassau  that  you  and  your  father  had,  and  both 
of  you  abused  the  hospitality  of  the  place  when 
you  assaulted  me." 

"  You  were  a  prisoner  of  the  Confederacy,  and 
had  escaped  in  a  blockade-runnei' ;  and  I  thought 


288  FIGHTING   FOR   THE  EIGHT 

it  was  no  more  than  right  that  you  should  be  re- 
turned to  your  prison,"  Percy  explained. 

"  I  had  the  right  to  escape  if  I  could,  and  was 
willing  to  take  the  risk ;  and  my  capture  in  Nassau 
was  a  cowardly  trick.  But  I  did  not  escape  fi'om 
a  Confederate  prison." 

"  You  told  me  you  did." 

"  I  did  not ;  that  was  a  conclusion  to  which  you 
jumped  with  very  little  help  from  me." 

"  I  thought  I  was  doing  my  duty  to  my  country." 

"  Then  you  were  an  idiot.  You  have  done  your 
best  to  compromise  your  country,  as  you  call  it, 
with  the  British  government.  If  your  father  is 
not  sent  out  of  Nassau,  I  shall  lose  my  guess  as 
a  Yankee." 

"  But  my  father  would  not  allow  Captain  Flan- 
ger  to  do  you  any  harm ;  for  he  was  bent  upon 
hanging  you  as  soon  as  he  got  out  of  sight  of  land, 
and  he  sent  me  with  you  to  see  my  mother  in  order 
to  prevent  him  from  carrying  out  his  threat." 

"  You  would  have  been  a  powerful  preventive 
in  the  face  of  such  a  brutal  ruffian  as  Captain 
Flanger,"  said  Christy  with  a  sneer.  "  You  have 
lied  to  me  before  about  your  father,  and  I  cannot 
believe  anything  you  say." 


CAPTAIN   FLANGER   IN    IRONS  289 

"  I  am  speaking  the  truth  now;  my  father  saved 
your  life.  I  heard  him  tell  Flanger  that  he  would 
lose  the  command  of  the  Snapper  if  any  harm  came 
to  you." 

"If  he  did  so,  he  did  it  from  the  fear  of  the 
British  authorities.  I  have  nothing  more  to  say 
about  it." 

"  But  as  my  father  saved  your  life,  j^ou  ought  to 
stand  by  me  in  this  scrape,"  pleaded  Percy. 

"  Whatever  was  done  by  you  or  your  father  for 
me,  was  done  from  the  fear  of  consequences ;  and 
you  were  the  originator  of  the  outrage  against  me," 
added  Christy,  as  he  descended  to  the  ward  room. 

The  next  morning  the  Snapper  was  on  her  voy- 
age to  Key  West,  and  the  Chateaugay  headed  for 
the  Hole  in  the  Wall,  though  she  gave  it  a  wide 
berth,  and  stood  off  to  the  eastward.  The  next 
night,  being  the  fourth  since  the  Eleuthera  left 
the  ship,  the  boat  containing  Mr.  Gilfleur  was 
picked  up  about  twenty  miles  east  of  the  lights. 
The  detective  came  on  board,  and  was  welcomed 
by  the  captain,  who  had  been  called  by  his  own 
order. 


290  FIGHTING   FOE   THE   KlGfll' 


CHAPTER   XXVI 

A  VISIT   TO   TAIMPA   BAY 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Gilfleur  had  been  welcomed  back 
to  the  Chateaiigay  the  commander  gave  the  order 
to  the  officer  of  the  deck  to  have  the  Bahama  boat 
hoisted  to  the  deck,  and  disposed  of  as  before. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  Captain  Chantor;  but  be 
so  kind  as  to  allow  the  boat  to  remain  alongside, 
for  I  must  return  to  Nassau,"  interposed  the 
detective. 

"  Return  to  Nassau  !  "  exclaimed  the  captain. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  it  is  really  necessary  that  I  should  do 
so,  for  you  see  tlxat  I  have  come  back  without  Mr. 
Passford,"  replied  the  Frenchman.  "He  was  at- 
tacked by  a  cowardly  ruffian  in  front  of  a  saloon 
in  the  town,  and  I  lost  siglit  of  him  after  that.  I 
have  been  terribly  distressed  about  him,  for  the 
ruffian  threatened  to  kill  him,  and  I  fear  he  has 
executed  his  threat." 

"  Don't  distress  yourself  for  another  instant,  Mr. 
Gilfleur,  for  Mr.  Passford  is  on  board  of  the  ship 


A   VISIT   TO   TAMPA    BAY  291 

at  this  moment,  and  doubtless  asleep  in  his  state- 
room," said  the  captain,  cutting  short  the  narrative 
of  the  detective. 

"  On  board  of  the  ship!  "  exclaimed  the  French- 
man, retreating  a  few  paces  in  his  great  surprise. 
"  Impossible !  Quite  impossible !  I  found  our 
boat  just  where  we  had  left  it  at  the  back  side  of 
the  island." 

"But  what  I  say  is  entirely  true;  and  Mr. 
Passford  wished  me  to  have  him  called  when  you 
came  on  board,"  added  the  commander,  as  he  sent 
a  quartermaster  to  summon  Christy  to  the  captain's 
cabin. 

"  I  don't  understand  how  Mr.  Passford  can  be 
on  board  of  the  ship,"  continued  the  bewildered 
Frenchman.  "Ah,  he  might  have  hired  a  boat 
like  the  Eleuthera  to  bring  him  off." 

"  He  might  have  done  so,  but  he  did  not,"  re- 
plied Captain  Chantor,  as  he  directed  the  officer 
of  the  deck  to  go  ahead,  making  the  course  east, 
as  soon  as  he  had  secured  tlie  detective's  boat. 
"  Now,  if  you  will  come  to  my  cabin,  Mr.  Gilfleur, 
Mr.  Passford  shall  inform  you  himself  that  he  is 
on  board  of  the  ship;  and  he  has  cjuite  an  exciting 
story  to  tell." 


292  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   EIGHT 

The  commander  and  the  Frenchman  went  below, 
and  seated  themselves  in  the  cabin  of  the  former. 

"  Mr.  Passf ord  has  already  informed  me  that  the 
Ovidio  is  at  Nassau,  but  that  she  has  been  seized 
by  a  British  gunboat  for  violation  of  the  neutrality 
laws,"  said  the  captain. 

"  That  is  quite  true,  and  it  is  not  probable  that 
the  case  will  be  settled  for  a  month  to  come,"  re- 
plied Mr.  Gilfleur.  "But  I  ascertained  by  great 
good  luck  that  her  armament  was  waiting  for  her 
at  Green  Cay,  if  you  know  where  that  is :  I  do 
not." 

"  It  is  on  the  Tongue  of  the  Ocean,  as  it  is 
called,  nearly  a  hundred  miles  to  the  southward  of 
Nassau.  I  supposed  it  would  be  managed  in  some 
such  way  as  that,"  added  the  commander.  "  But 
do  you  think  it  will  be  a  month  before  her  case 
will  be  settled?" 

"  Of  course  I  know  nothing  about  it  myself ;  but 
I  found  a  court  official  Avho  was  very  desirous  of 
talking  French,  and  he  invited  me  to  dine  with 
him  at  his  house.  I  began  to  ask  him  questions 
about  the  blockade,  and  the  vessels  in  the  harbor  ; 
and  finally  he  gave  me  his  opinion  that  a  decision 
in  the  case  of  the  Ovidio  could  not  be  reached  in 
less  than  a  month,  and  it  might  be  two  months." 


A  VISIT   TO  TAMPA   BAY  29'3 

At  this  moment  there  was  a  knock  at  the  door 
of  the  cabin,  and  the  captain  called  to  the  person 
to  come  in.  Christy,  who  had  taken  the  time  to 
dress  himself  fully,  opened  the  door  and  entered  the 
cabin.  The  Frenchman  leaped  from  his  seat,  and 
embraced  the  young  officer  as  though  he  had  been 
his  wife  or  sweetheart,  from  whom  he  had  been 
separated  for  years.  Christy,  who  was  not  very 
demonstrative  in  this  direction,  submitted  to  the 
hugging  with  the  best  possible  grace,  for  he  knew 
that  the  detective  was  sincere,  and  had  actually 
grown  to  love  him,  perhaps  as  much  for  his  father's 
sake  as  for  his  own. 

"  Oh,  my  dear  Mr.  Passford,  you  are  to  me  like 
one  who  has  come  out  of  his  grave,  for  I  have  be- 
lieved for  nearly  three  days  that  you  had  been 
killed  by  the  ruffian  that  attacked  you  in  the 
street ! "  exclaimed  Mr.  Gilfleur,  still  pressing 
both  of  his  late  companion's  hands  in  his  own. 
"  I  was  never  so  rejoiced  in  all  my  life,  not  even 
when  I  had  unearthed  a  murderer." 

"  Perhaps  you  expected  to  unearth  another  mur- 
derer," said  Christy  with  a  smile. 

"  That  was  just  what  I  intended  to  do.  I  heard 
the  villanous  ruffian  swear  that  he  would  kill  you, 


294  .FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

and  I  was  almost  sure  he  had  done  so  when  you 
failed  to  meet  me  in  the  rear  of  the  hotel." 

At  the  request  of  the  commander,  Christy  re- 
peated the  story  of  his  adventure  in  Nassau  as 
briefly  as  possible,  up  to  the  time  he  had  been 
picked  up  by  the  Chateaugay's  cutter,  and  con- 
veyed on  board  of  the  ship.  The  detective  was 
deeply  interested,  and  listened  to  the  narration  with 
the  closest  attention.  At  the  end  of  it,  he  pressed 
the  hand  of  the  young  officer  again,  and  warmly 
congratulated  him  upon  his  escape  from  the  enem3^ 

Mr.  Gilfleur  then  reported  more  in  detail  than 
he  had  done  before,  the  result  of  his  mission.  He 
gave  the  names  of  all  the  intending  blockade-run- 
ners in  the  harbor  of  Nassau ;  but  the  captain 
declared  that  he  could  not  capture  them  on  any 
such  evidence  as  the  detective  had  been  able  to 
obtain,  for  it  would  not  prove  the  intention. 

"  The  Ovidio  may  not  come  out  of  Nassau  for 
two  months  to  come,  and  then  she  will  proceed  to 
Green  Cay,"  said  Captain  Chantor.  "I  do  not 
think  I  should  be  justified  in  waiting  so  long  for 
her,  especially  as  she  is  to  run  her  cargo  into 
Mobile.  The  blockaders  will  probably  be  able  to 
pick  her  up.     I  tliink  my  mission  in  the  Bahama 


A   VISIT   TO   TAMPA   BAY  295 

Islands  is  finished,  and  the  Chateaugay  must  pro- 
ceed to  more  fruitful  fields." 

"But  you  have  not  made  a  bad  voyage  of  it  so 
far,  Captain  Chantor,"  added  Christy.  "  You  sent 
in  the  Ionian,  sunk  the  Dornoch,  and  captured  the 
Cadet  and  the  Snapper,  to  say  nothing  of  bagging 
a  Confederate  commissioner,  and  the  son  of  an- 
other. I  should  have  been  glad  if  you  had  sent 
in  Colonel  Pierson,  for  he  has  already  done  our 
commerce  a  great  deal  of  mischief." 

"  I  am  entirely  satisfied,  and  doubtless  the  infor- 
mation obtpvined  here  and  at  the  Bermudas  will 
enable  our  fleet  to  pick  up  some  more  of  the 
steamers  you  have  spotted,"  added  the  captain,  as 
he  rose  from  his  seat,  and  dismissed  his  guests. 

The  Frenchman  was  so  exhausted  by  his  labors, 
and  the  want  of  sleep,  that  he  retired  at  once  to 
his  room,  while  Christy  went  on  deck  with  the 
commander.  The  ship  had  been  working  to  the 
eastward  for  over  an  hour;  but  the  order  was 
given  for  her  to  come  about,  and  the  course  was 
laid  for  the  light  at  the  Hole  in  the  Wall. 

"  Now,  Mr.  Passford,  we  are  bound  for  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  putting  in  at  Key  West  for  the  purpose 
of   attending  to  the  affair  of  the  Snapper,"  said 


296  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

Captain  Cliantor.  "  In  a  few  days  more  no  doubt 
you  will  be  able  to  report  for  duty  on  board  of  the 
Bellevite." 

"  I  shall  not  be  sorry  to  be  on  duty  again,  and 
especially  in  the  Bellevite,"  replied  Christy,  as  he 
went  to  his  stateroom  to  finish  his  night's  sleep. 

The  next  day  the  Chateaugay  overhauled  the 
Snapper;  but  all  was  well  on  board  of  her,  and 
the  ship  proceeded  on  her  course.  On  the  third 
day  she  went  into  the  harbor  of  Key  West. 
Christy  and  the  captain  went  to  work  at  once  on 
the  legal  questions  relating  to  the  prize  last  taken. 
The  evidence  was  deemed  sufficient  to  warrant  the 
sending  of  her  to  New  York,  and  on  her  arrival 
the  prize-master  was  directed  to  proceed  to  that 
port.  Captain  Flanger  and  Percy  Pierson  were 
transferred  to  her,  and  she  sailed  the  next  day ;  but 
she  encountered  a  tremendous  storm  on  the  At- 
lantic coast,  and  was  totally  wrecked  on  Hetzel 
Spit,  near  Cape  Canaveral.  The  prisoners  were 
put  into  one  boat,  which  upset,  and  all  in  it  were 
drowned,  while  the  other  boat,  in  charge  of  Lieu- 
tenant Carlin,  succeeded  in  reaching  the  shore  of 
Florida. 

The  Snapper's  case  was  settled,  therefore,  out- 


A   VISIT   TO   TAMPA   BAY  297 

side  of  the  courts.  Captain  Flanger  perished  in 
his  wickedness,  and  Percy  Pierson  never  reached 
his  mother  in  Mobile.  But  it  was  weeks  before 
the  news  of  the  disaster  reached  the  Chateaugay 
and  the  Bellevite.  Christy  did  not  mourn  the  loss 
of  his  great  enemy,  and  he  was  sorry  only  that  the 
young  man  had  not  lived  long  enough  to  become  a 
better  man. 

The  Chateaugay  proceeded  on  her  voyage,  and 
reported  to  the  flag-officer  of  the  Eastern  Gulf 
Squadron ;  by  whom  she  was  assigned  to  a  place  in 
the  fleet  off  Appalachicola,  while  Christy  was  sent 
in  a  tender  to  the  Bellevite,  then  on  duty  off  the 
entrance  to  Mobile  Bay. 

At  this  point  it  became  necessary  for  Christy 
and  Mr.  Gilfleur  to  separate,  for  the  latter  was  to 
proceed  to  New  York  by  a  store-ship  about  to  sail. 
The  detective  insisted  upon  hugging  him  again, 
and  the  young  officer  submitted  with  better  grace 
than  usual  to  such  demonstrations.  He  had  be- 
come much  attached  to  his  companion  in  the  late 
enterprises  in  which  they  had  been  engaged,  and  he 
respected  him  very  highly  for  his  honesty  and  ear- 
nestness, and  admired  his  skill  in  his  profession. 
On  the  voyage  from  Key  West,  Christy  had  written 


298  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

letters  to  all  the  members  of  his  family,  as  well  as 
to  Bertha  Pembroke,  which  he  committed  to  the 
care  of  Mr.  Gilfleur  when  they  parted,  not  to  meet 
again  till  the  end  of  the  war. 

When  Christy  went  on  board  of  tlie  Bellevite  he 
was  warmly  welcomed  by  Captain  Breaker,  who 
happened  to  be  on  deck.  Mr.  Blowitt  was  the 
next  to  grasp  his  hand,  and  before  he  had  done 
with  him,  Paul  Vapoor,  the  chief  engineer,  the 
young  lieutenant's  particular  crony,  hugged  him  as 
though  he  were  a  brother. 

Most  of  the  old  officers  were  still  in  the  ship, 
and  Christy  found  himself  entirely  at  home  where- 
ever  he  went  on  board.  He  was  duly  presented  to 
Mr.  Walbrook,  the  third  lieutenant,  the  acting 
second  lieutenant  having  returned  to  tlie  flag-ship 
in  the  tender. 

For  all  the  rest  of  the  year  the  Bellevite 
remained  on  duty  as  a  blockader  off  Fort  Morgan. 
It  was  ail  idle  life  for  the  most  part,  and  Christy 
began  to  regret  that  he  had  caused  himself  to  be 
transferred  from  the  command  of  the  Bronx.  The 
steamer  occasionally  had  an  opportunity  to  chase 
a  blockade-runner,  going  in  or  coming  out  of  the 
bay.     She  was  the  fastest  vessel  on  the  station, 


A   VISIT   TO   TAMPA   BAY  299 

and  she  never  failed  to  give  a  good  account  of 
herself. 

Late  in  the  j^ear  the  Belle vite  and  Bronx  were 
ordered  to  operate  at  Tampa  Bay,  where  it  was 
believed  that  several  vessels  were  loading  with' 
cotton.  On  the  arrival  of  the  ships  off  the  bay,  a 
boat  expedition  was  organized  to  ascertain  what 
vessels  were  in  the  vicinity.  But  the  entrance  was 
protected  by  a  battery,  and  it  was  supposed  that 
there  were  field-works  in  several  places  on  the 
shores.  One  of  these  was  discovered  just  inside  of 
Palm  Key,  and  the  Bellevite  opened  upon  it  with  her 
big  midship  gun.  Two  or  three  such  massive  balls 
were  enough  for  the  garrison,  and  they  beat  a  pre- 
cipitate retreat,  abandoning  their  pieces.  There 
was  water  enough  to  permit  the  steamer  to  go  into 
the  bay  nearly  to  the  town  at  the  head  of  it. 

No  other  batteries  were  to  be  seen,  and  the 
Bronx  proceeded  up  the  bay,  followed  by  the 
Bellevite.  When  the  latter  had  proceeded  as  far 
as  the  depth  of  water  rendered  it  prudent  for  her  to 
go  at  that  time  of  tide,  the  Bronx  went  ahead 
some  ten  miles  farther.  The  boat  expedition,  con- 
sisting of  three  cutters  from  the  Bellevite  and  one 
from  the  Bronx,  moved  towards  the  head  of  the 


300  fighting'  for  the  eight 

bay.  Christy,  in  the  second  cutter  of  the  Belle- 
vite,  was  at  least  two  miles  from  any  other  boat, 
when  a  punt  containing  a  negro  put  out  from  the 
shore  near  him. 

"  Are  you  a  frien'  ob  de  colored  man  ?  "  demanded 
the  negro  as  soon  as  he  came  within  speaking-dis- 
tance of  the  cutter. 

"  Within  reasonable  limits,  I  am  the  friend  of 
the  colored  man,"  replied  Christy,  amused  at  the 
form  of  the  question. 

"  What  you  gwine  to  do  up  dis  bay,  massa  ? " 
asked  the  colored  man. 

"  That  will  depend  upon  what  we  find  up  this 
bay." 

"  You  don't  'spect  you  find  no  steamers  up  dis 
bay,  does  you,  massa  ?  " 

"  Do  you  know  of  any  steamers  up  this  bay,  my 
man  ? "  asked  Christy.  "  Do  you  know  of  any 
vessels  up  here  loading  with  cotton?"  asked 
Christy. 

"  P'raps  I  do,  massa ;  and  den,  again,  p'raps  I 
don't  know  anyt'ing  about  any  vessels,"  replied 
the  negro,  very  indefinitely. 

Christy  was  provoked  at  the  manner  in  which 
the  negro  replied  to  his  questions.     Ordering  his 


A   VISIT   TO   TAMPA   BAY  301 

boat's  crew  to  give  way  with  all  tlieir  might,  he 
directed  the  cockswain  to  run  for  the  punt  of  the 
negro.  The  cutter  struck  it  on  the  broadside,  and 
broke  it  into  two  pieces.  The  boatman  was  fished 
up,  and  hauled  on  board  of  the  boat. 


302  FIGHTING   FOE   THE   EIGHT 


CHAPTER   XXVII 

AMONG    THE   KEYS    OF   TAINIPA 

Cheisty  Passfoed  did  not  intend  to  cut  the 
negro's  punt  into  two  pieces,  though  perhaps  there 
was  some  mischief  in  the  purpose  of  the  cock- 
swain. The  boatman  gave  him  an  evasive  answer 
to  his  question,  which  provoked  the  young  officer. 
The  punt  was  a  very  old  affair,  reduced  almost  to 
punk  by  the  decay  of  the  boards  of  which  it  was 
built,  or  the  bow  of  the  cutter  would  not  have 
gone  through  it  so  readily.  The  lieutenant  had 
simply  desired  to  get  alongside  the  negro's  shaky 
craft  in  order  to  question  him,  for  he  was  satisfied 
from  the  fellow's  manner  that  he  knew  more  than 
he  })retended  to  know. 

The  boatman  had  come  off  from  the  shore  of  his 
own  accord ;  he  had  not  been  solicited  to  give  any 
information,  and  his  movements  had  been  entirely 
voluntary  on  his  own  part.  Yet  Christy  was  sorry 
that  his  punt  had  been  stove,  valueless  as  the  craft 


AMONG   THE   KEYS   OF   TAMPA  303 

had  been ;  for,  as  a  rule,  the  colored  people  were 
friendly  to  the  Union  soldiers,  and  he  was  not 
disposed  to  do  tliem  an}^  injury. 

As  soon  as  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  boat  saw 
that  the  bow  was  likely  to  strike  the  punt,  he 
directed  the  cockswain  to  stop  and  back  her,  which 
wfts  done,  but  too  late  to  save  the  flimsy  box  from 
destruction.  The  two  bowmen  drew  in  the  negro 
without  any  difficulty ;  and  so  expeditiously  had 
he  been  rescued  that  'he  was  not  wet  above  the 
hips.  He  had  been  caught  up  just  as  the  bow  of 
the  cutter  cut  into  the  punt. 

"  That  was  well  done,  bowmen,"  said  Christy, 
as  the  boatman  was  placed  upon  his  feet  in  the 
fore  sheets. 

The  negro  was  rather  small  in  stature,  and  black 
enough  to  save  all  doubts  in  regard  to  his  parent- 
age ;  but  there  was  an  expression  of  cunning  in 
his  face  not  often  noticed  in  persons  of  his  race. 
The  coast  of  Florida,  south  of  the  entrance  to 
Tampa  Bay,  as  in  many  other  portions,  is  fringed 
with  keys,  or  cays  as  they  are  called  in  the  West 
Indies,  which  are  small  islands,  though  many  of 
them  are  ten  miles  in  length.  This  fringe  of  keys 
extended  up  Tampa  Bay  for  over  twenty  miles ; 


304  FIGHTING   FOIl   THE   EIGHT 

and  it  was  from  behind  one  of  them  that  the  punt 
had  put  out  when  Christy's  boat  approached. 
The  negro  had  been  obliged  to  paddle  at  least 
half  a  mile  to  come  within  speaking-distance  of 
the  cutter. 

"  You  done  broke  my  boat  in  two  pieces  !  "  ex- 
claimed the  boatman,  gazing  at  the  two  parts  of 
the  floating  wreck.  '•'•  Don't  t'ink  you  is  a  frien' 
ob  de  colored  man  widin  no  limits  at  all,  or  you 
don't  smash  his  boat  like  dat." 

"  That  was  an  accident,  my  friend,"  replied 
Christy.     "  How  much  was  the  punt  worth  ?  " 

"  Dat  boat  wan't  no  punk,  massa,  and  it  was 
wuf  two  dollars  in  good  money,"  replied  the 
colored  man,  his  eyes  brightening,  and  his  expres- 
sion of  cunning  becoming  more  intense,  when  he 
realized  the  possibility  of  being  paid  for  his  loss. 

"  If  you  give  me  the  information  I  desire,  I  will 
pay  for  the  boat,"  added  Christy,  who  proposed  to 
do  so  out  of  his  own  pocket,  for  his  father  was  a 
millionaire  of  several  degrees,  and  the  son  had 
very  nearly  made  a  fortune  out  of  the  prizes,  from 
which  he  had  received  an  officer's  share. 

"  Tank  you,  massa ;  I'm  a  poor  man,  and  I  git 
my  livin'  gwine  fishin'  in  dat  boat  you  done 
stove." 


"The  boatman  was  fished  up  and   hauled  on  board  the  boat." 
Page  301. 


AMONG   THE  KEYS   OF  TAMPA  305 

"  What  is  your  name,  my  man  ?  " 

"  Quimp,  sar ;  and  dat's  de  short  for  Quimple," 
replied  the  colored  person  of  this  name. 

"  Where  do  you  live  ?  " 

"  Ober  on  de  shor  dar,  in  de  woods." 

"  How  deep  is  the  water  inside  of  these  keys, 
Quimp  ? "  asked  Christy,  pointing  to  the  long, 
narrow  islands  which  lined  the  south-easterly  side 
of  the  bay. 

"Not  much  water  inside  dem  keys  dar,  sar," 
replied  the  boatman,  looking  off  in  the  other 
direction. 

"  But  there  are  deep  places  in  there,  I  am  very 
sure." 

"Yes,  sar;  ten  feet  in  some  places,"  replied 
Quimp,  suddenly  becoming  more  communicative. 
"  When  de  wind  blow  from  de  west  or  de  norf- 
west,  dar's  twelve  foot  inside  de  long  key." 

"  Do  you  know  of  any  vessels,  any  schooners, 
or  steamers,  inside  the  bay,  Quimp  ?  "  asked  Chris- 
ty, pushing  his  inquiries  a  point  farther. 

"  Couldn't  told  you,  massa,"  replied  the  boat- 
man, shaking  his  liead. 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  don't  know,  my  man?" 

"  Dis  nigger  done  got  but  one  head,  and  it's  wuf 


306  FIGHTING    FOR    THE   KIGHT 

more  to  him  dan  it  is  to  any  oder  feller,  massa; 
and  it  don't  do  for  him  to  tell  no  stories  about 
vessels  and  steamers,"  replied  Quimp,  shaking  his 
head  more  vigorously. 

"  I  suppose  you  have  a  family,  Quimp  ?  " 

"  No,  sar  ;  done  got  no  family.  De  ole  woman 
done  gone  to  glory  more'n  ten  years  ago,  and  de 
boys  done  growed  up  and  gone  off.  No,  sar  ;  dis 
nigger  got  no  family." 

"  Then  you  don't  care  to  stay  here,  where  you 
have  to  work  hard  for  little  money  ? "  suggested 
Christy. 

"  Money !  Don't  see  no  money.  Nobody  but 
white  folks  got  any  money ;  and  dey  has  next  to 
noffin  in  dese  times." 

"  I  will  pay  you  well  for  any  information  that 
may  be  of  importance  to  me,  and  I  will  take  you 
on  board  of  a  man-of-war  farther  down  the  bay,  if 
you  are  afraid  of  losing  your  head." 

"  If  dis  nigger  told  some  stories  he  lose  his  head 
for  sartiii,"  added  Quimp,  shaking  his  head,  as  if 
to  make  sure  that  it  safely  rested  on  his  shoulders. 

"  If  you  tell  me  the  truth,  you  shall  be  pro- 
tected." 

"  Wot  you  want  to  know,  massa  ?  "  demanded 


AMONG   THE   KEYS   OF   TAMPA  307 

Quimp,  as  though  he  was  weakening  ii;  his  reso- 
lution. 

Christy  could  not  help. wondering  wl/  the  boat- 
man had  come  out  from  behind  the  key,  :f  he  was 
not  willing  to  impart  his  knowledge  to  the  offi- 
cer of  the  boat,  for  he  could  not  help  understand- 
ing the  object  of  the  gunboats  in  visiting  the  bay ; 
and  the  Bellevite  lay  not  half  a  mile  below  the 
northern  end  of  what  Quimp  called  the  long  key. 

"  I  want  to  know  if  there  are  any  steamers  or 
other  vessels  in  the  bay,"  replied  Christy,  coming 
directly  to  the  point.  "  If  there  are  any,  we  shall 
find  them ;  but  you  can  save  us  the  trouble  of 
looking  for  them." 

"  How  much  you  gwine  to  gib  me,  massa,  if  I 
told  you  ?  "  asked  the  negro,  as  he  walked  between 
the  men  on  the  thwarts  to  the  stern  sheets,  in 
order  to  be  nearer  to  the  officer. 

"  I  will  give  you  ten  dollars  if  you  will  be  sure 
and  tell  me  the  truth." 

"  Dis  nigger  don't  never  told  no  lies,  massa," 
protested  Qidmp.  "  If  you  pay  me  five  dollars 
for  de  boat  you  done  stove,  and"  — 

"  But  you  said  the  boat  was  worth  only  two 
dollars,"  interposed  "the  officer. 


308  FIGHTING    FOR   THE    RIGHT 

"  Dat's  de  gospel  truf,  massa ;  but  it  costs  me 
five  dollars  to  get  a  new  boat,  to  say  nofBn  about 
de  time.  I  mouglit  starve  to  def  afore  I  can  get 
a  boat," 

The  negro's  argument  was  logical,  and  Christy- 
admitted  its  force,  and  expressed  his  willingness 
to  pay  the  price  demanded. 

"  Five  dollars  for  de  boat,  massa,  and  ten  dollars 
for  tellin'  de  whole  truf,"  added  Quimp. 

"  All  right,  my  man,"  added  the  lieutenant. 

"  Yes,  sar ;  but  I  want  de  money  now,  sar," 
said  Quimp,  extending  his  hand  to  receive  it ;  and 
Christy  thought  he  was  very  sharp  for  one  in  his 
position. 

"I  will  pay  you  when  you  have  imparted  the 
information,"  he  replied  ;  and,  for  some  reason  he 
could  not  explain,  he  was  not  satisfied  with  the 
conduct  of  the  negro. 

He  was  altogether  too  shrewd  for  one  who 
appeared  to  be  so  stupid.  The  expression  of 
cunning  in  his  face  told  against  him,  and  perhaps 
it  was  this  more  than  anything  else  that  prejudiced 
the  officer.  He  took  it  for  granted  that  he 
should  have  to  take  the  boatman  off  to  the  Belle- 
vite  with  him,  and  that  it  would  be  time  enough 
to  pay  him  on  board  of  the  ship. 


AMONG    THE   KEYS   OF   TAMPA  309 

"  Dat  won't  do,  massa  !  "  protested  Quinip  ear- 
nestly. "What  you  tink?  Suppose  dar  is  a 
steamer  in  de  bay  loaded  wid  cotton,  all  ready  to 
quit  for  somewhar.  Do  you  tink,  massa,  I  can  go 
on  bord  of  her  wid  you  ?  No,  sar !  Dis  nigger 
lose  his  head  for  sartin  if  dem  uns  knows  I  pilot 
you  to  dat  steamer.  You  done  got  two  eyes, 
massa,  and  you  can  see  it  for  shore." 

"  But  I  can  protect  you,  Quimp,"  suggested 
Christy. 

"No,  sar!  All  de  sojers  in  de  Yankee  camp 
could  not  save  me,  sar.  De  first  man  dat  sees  me 
will  knive  me  in  de  heart,  or  cut  my  froat  from 
one  ear  to  de  oder ! "  protested  Quimp  more  ear- 
nestly than  before,  though  he  manifested  no  terror 
in  his  words  or  manner. 

"  Very  well,  Quimp ;  I  will  pay  you  the  money 
as  soon  as  we  see  the  steamer  or  other  vessel,  and 
then  assist  you  to  make  your  escape,"  replied 
Clu'isty.  "  I  will  go  a  step  farther,  and  pay  you 
for  the  boat  now ;  but  I  will  not  pay  you  the  ten 
dollars  till  you  show  us  a  vessel." 

While  the  neoro  was  scratching  his  head  to 
stimulate  his  ideas,  the  officer  handed  him  a  gold 
sovereign  and  a  shilling  of  English  money,  pro- 


310  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

vided  for  his  visit  to  Bermuda  and  Nassau,  which 
made  a  little  more  than  five  dollars. 

"  I  don't  reckon  a  gemman  like  you  would  cheat 
a  poor  nigger,"  said  Quimp,  wliile  his  eyes  were 
still  glowing  with  delight  at  the  sight  of  the 
money  in  his  hand. 

"  Certainly  not,  my  man,"  replied  Christy, 
Laughing  at  the  idea.  "  Just  as  soon  as  I  get  my 
eye  on  the  steamer  of  which  you  speak,  I  will  pay 
you  the  ten  dollars  in  gold  and  silver." 

"I  don't  know  much  about  dis  yere  money, 
massa,"  said  the  boatman,  still  studying  the  coin, 

"  The  gold  piece  is  an  English  sovereign,  worth 
about  four  dollars  and  eighty-five  cents  ;  and  the 
silver  coin  is  a  shilling,  worth  very  nearly  a  quar- 
ter of  a  dollar;  so  that  I  have  paid  you  over  five 
dollars." 

"  Yes,  sar,  tank  you,  sar.  Cap'n  Stopfoot  fotched 
over  some  ob  de  money  like  dat  from  Nassau,  and 
I  done  seen  it." 

"  But  I  can't  stop  to  talk  all  day,  Quimp,"  con- 
tinued Christy  impatiently.  "  If  you  are  going  to 
do  anything  to  earn  your  ten  dollars,  it  is  time  for 
you  to  be  about  it." 

"  Yes,  sar ;  I  will  told  you  all  about  it,  massa." 


AMONG    THE    KEYS    OF    TAMPA  311 

"  No  long  yarns,  my  man !  "  protested  the  offi- 
cer, as  Quirap  seated  himself  in  the  stern  sheets  as 
though  he  intended  to  tell  a  long  story.    ■ 

"  Yes,  massa ;  told  you  all  about  it  in  a  bref. 
De  wind  done  blow  fresh  from  de  norf-west  for 
free  days ;  dat's  what  Massa  Cap'n  Stopfoot  saj^," 
Quimp  began. 

"No  matter  what  Captain  Stopfoot  says!" 
Christy  interposed.  "  Tell  me  where  the  steamer 
is,  if  there  is  any  steamer  in  the  bay.  We  will 
stop  the  foot  and  the  mouth  of  Captain  Stopfoot 
when  we  come  to  him." 

"  Well,  sar,  if  you  don't  want  to  har  dis  nigger's 
yarn,  he'll  shet  up  all  to  onct,"  replied  Quimp, 
standing  on  his  dignity. 

"  Go  on,  then ;  but  make  it  short,"  added 
Christy,  finding  it  would  take  less  time  to  get 
what  he  wanted  out  of  the  negro  by  letting  him 
have  his  own  way.  "  Wind  fresh  from  the  north- 
west for  three  days." 

"  Yes,  sar ;  and  dat  pile  up  de  water  so  de  tide 
rise  six  or  eight  inches  higher,"  continued  Quimp, 
picking  up  the  clew  given  him.  "  High  tide  in 
one  hour  from  now,  and  de  Reindeer  was  gwiue 
out  den  for  shore.  Dat's  de  whole  story,  massa, 
and  not  bery  long." 


312  FIGHTING    FOR    THE    HIGHT 

"  All  riglit,  Quiinp,  Now  where  is  the  Rein- 
deer ?  " 

"■  Ober  de  oder  side  ob  long  key,  massa.  Dar's 
more'n  four  fadoms  ob  water  under  dis  boat  now, 
and  twelve  feet  'tween  de  two  keys,"  added  the 
boatman,  whose  tongue  was  fully  unlocked  by 
this  time. 

The  crew  of  the  cutter  were  directed  to  give  way, 
and  the  negro  pointed  out  the  channel  which  led 
inside  the  keys. 


THE   SUEKENDER   OF   THE   REINDEER  813 


CHAPTER   XXVIII 

THE   SURRENDER   OF   THE   REINDEER 

Christy  looked  over  the  side  of  the  boat,  and 
saw  that  the  water  was  quite  clear.  The  channel, 
which  lay  in  the  middle  of  the  bay,  had  four  and  a 
quarter  fathoms  of  water  at  mean  low  tide,  accord- 
ing to  the  chart  the  officer  had  with  him.  He  had 
brought  several  copies  of  the  large  chart  with  him 
from  New  York,  and  he  had  cut  them  up  into  con- 
venient squares,  so  that  they  could  be  easily  han- 
dled when  he  was  on  boat  service.  But  his 
authority  gave  no  depth  of  water  on  the  shoal 
sands. 

In  a  short  time  the  boat  came  to  the  verge  of 
the  channel,  and  Christy  directed  the  bowman  to 
stand  by  with  the  lead,  with  which  the  boat  was 
provided.  The  first  heaving  gave  three  and  a  half 
fathoms,  and  it  gradually  decreased  at  each  report, 
till  only  two  fathoms  and  a  quarter  was  indicated, 
when  the  boat  was  between   the    two   keys,  the 


314  FIGHTING   FOR    THE    RIGHT 

southern  of  which  Quimp  called  the  long  ke}', 
simply  because  that  was  the  longest  in  the  bay, 
and  not  because  it  was  a  proper  name. 

"  Now,  Massa  Ossifer,  look  sharp  ober  on  de 
starboard  side,"  said  the  negro. 

"  I  don't  see  anything,"  replied  Christy. 

"  No,  sar,  not  yet ;  but  look  ober  dat  way,  and 
you  see  somet'ing  fo'  yore  free  minutes  older, 
.  massa." 

Christy  fixed  his  gaze  on  the  point  of  the  long 
key,  beyond  which  Qnimp  intimated  that  the 
steamer  would  be  seen. 

"  Now,  Massa  Ossifer,  fo'  yore  two  minutes 
nearer  glory,  you'll  see  de  end  ob  de  bowsprit  ob 
de  Reindeer,"  added  Quimp,  who  was  beginning  to 
be  somewhat  excited,  possibly  in  expectation  of 
receiving  his  ten  dollars ;  and  perhaps  he  was 
regretting  that  he  had  not  demanded  twenty. 

"  How  big  is  that  steamer,  Quimp  ?  "  asked  the 
officer  of  the  cutter. 

"  Fo'  hund'ed  tons,  massa ;  dat's  what  Cap'n 
Stopfoot  done  say,  kase  I  never  done  measure  her. 
Pie  done  say  she  is  very  flat  on  her  bottom,  and 
don't  draw  much  water  for  her  size,"  replied  the 
negro.  "  Dar's  de  end  ob  de  bowsprit,  massa !  "  he 
exclaimed  at  this  moment. 


THE    SURRENDER   OF    THE    REINDEER  315 

"  Way  enough,  cockswain ! "  said  Cliristy  sharply. 
«  Stern  all ! " 

The  headway  of  the  cutter  was  promptly  checked, 
and  she  was  set  back  a  couple  of  lengths,  when  the 
order  was  given  to  the  crew  to  lay  on  their  oars. ' 

"Wat's  the  matter,  Massa  Ossifer?  Arn't  you 
gwine  no  furder  ?  "  asked  Quimp. 

"  I  have  seen  enough  of  the  Reindeer  to  satisfy 
me  that  she  is  there  ;  and  I  have  stopped  the  boat 
to  give  you  a  chance  to  make  your  escape,"  replied 
Christy.  "  I  don't  want  you  to  lose  your  head  for 
the  service  you  have  rendered  to  me." 

"  Dis  nigger  can't  get  away  from  here,  massa," 
replied  the  boatman,  looking  about  him.  "  A  fel- 
ler can't  swim  a  mile  when  de  water's  full  ob  alli- 
gators. Dem  varmints  like  niggers  to  eat  jus'  as 
well  as  dey  do  white  men." 

Christy  had  his  doubts  about  there  being  alliga- 
tors of  a  dangerous  size  in  the  bay,  though  he  had 
seen  small  ones  in  other  bays  of  the  coast ;  bat  he 
was  willing  to  admit  that  Quimp  knew  better  about 
the  matter  than  he  did.  It  was  a  hard  swim  to  any 
other  key  than  the  long  one,  to  which  the  cutter 
was  quite  near.  He  could  land  the  negro  on  that 
key,  but  he  would  reveal  the  presence  of  the  boat 


316  FIGHTING    FOR    THE    RIGHT 

to  the  people  on  board  of  the  Reindeer,  and  they 
would  burn  her  rather  than  have  her  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  Union  navy. 

"  I  can  land  you  on  the  long  key,  Quimp,"  sug- 
gested the  officer. 

"  No,  sar  !  Can't  go  there  ;  for  Cap'n  StojDfoot 
sartainly  cotch  me  dar,"  protested  the  negro. 

"  I  don't  think  so,  Quimp." 

"  De  ossifers  and  men  ob  de  Reindeer  will  go 
asho'  when  you  done  took  de  steamer ;  don't  you 
see  dat,  massa  ?  " 

"  What  shall  I  do  with  you  then  ? "  asked 
Christy,  as  he  handed  him  two  sovereigns  and 
two  shillings. 

"  T'ank  you,  sar  ;  dat's  a  pile  ob  money  !  "  ex- 
claimed Quimp,  as  he  looked  with  admiration  upon 
the  coins. 

"  It  is  what  I  agreed  to  give  you.  But  what 
shall  I  do  with  you  now  ?  That  is  the  question  I 
want  answered,"  continued  the  officer  impatiently. 

"  You  can't  do  not'ing  wid  me,  Massa  Ossifer, 
and  I  must  tooken  my  chance  to  go  up  in  de  boat. 
Better  hab  my  froat  cut  'n  be  chawed  up  by  a  big 
alligator.  Was  you  ever  bit  by  an  alligator,  Massa 
Ossifer  ?  " 


THE    SURRENDER    OF    THE    REINDEER        317 

"  I  never  was." 

"  I  knows  about  dat,  massa,"  added  Quirap,  as 
he  bared  his  leg,  and  showed  an  ugly  scar. 

Christy  would  not  wait  to  hear  any  more,  but 
ordered  the  cockswain  to  sfo  ahead  agfain.  It 
looked  to  him  that  Quimp,  now  that  he  had 
received  his  money,  and  made  fifteen  dollars  out 
of  his  morning's  work,  was  intentionally  delaying 
the  object  of  the  expedition,  for  what  reason  he 
could  form  no  clear  idea. 

"  I  spose,  if  Captain  Stopfoot  kill  me  for  w'at  I 
done  do,  you'll  bury  me  side  de  old  woman  dat  done 
gone  to  glory  ten  year  ago?  "  continued  the  negro, 
who  did  not  look  old  enough  to  have  buried  a  wife 
ten  years  before. 

"  I  am  not  in  the  burying  business,  my  friend, 
and  after  you  are  dead,  you  had  better  send  for 
your  sons  to  do  the  job,  for  they  will  know  where 
to  find  the  grave  of  the  departed  companion  of 
your  joys  and  sorrows,"  replied  Christy,  as  the 
boat  came  in  sight  of  the  bowsprit  of  the  Reindeer 
again. 

'^  My  sons  done  gone  away  to  Alabamy,  sar, 
and  "  — 

"That'?  enouGfh  about  that.     There  are  no  alii- 


318  FIGHTING    FOK    THE    KIGHT 

gators  about  here,  and  you  can  swim  ashore  if  you 
are  so  disposed ;  but  you  must  shut  up  your  wide 
mouth  and  keep  still  if  you  stay  in  the  boat. 
Heave  the  lead,  bowman  !  " 

"  Mark  under  water  two,  sir,"  reported  the  leads- 
man. 

In  a  few  moments  more  the  cutter  had  gained  a 
position  where  the  steamer  could  be  fully  seen. 
She  was  a  side-wheeler,  and  appeared  to  be  a  very 
handsome  vessel.  She  had  a  considerable  deck- 
load  of  cotton,  and  doubtless  her  hold  was  filled 
with  the  same  valuable  commodity. 

"  Is  that  steamer  armed,  Quimp  ?  "  asked  Christy, 
who  could  see  no  signs  of  life  on  board  of  her. 

"  She  don't  got  no  arms,  but  she  hab  two  field- 
pieces  on  her  for'ad  deck,"  replied  the  negro. 

"  How  many  men  has  she  on  board  ?  " 

"  L'em  me  see :  the  cap'n  and  de  mate  is  two,  two 
ingineers,  two  firemen  ;  dat  makes  six ;  and  den 
she  hab  two  deck-hands." 

"  But  that  makes  only  eight  in  all,"  replied 
Christy.     "  Are  you  sure  that  is  all  ?  " 

"  Dead  shoar  dat's  all,  Massa  Ossifer." 

"  But  that  is  not  enough  to  handle  the  steamer 
on  a  voyage  to  a  foreign  port,  for  I  dare  say  she  is 


SUKRENDER    OF    THE    REINDEER  319 

going  to  Nassau,"  added  Christy,  who  was  on  the 
lookout  for  some  piece  of  strategy  by  which  his 
boat  and  its  crew  might  be  destroyed. 

"  I  don't  know  not'ing  about  dat,  sar ;  but  Cap'n 
Stopfoot  is  a  pow'ful  smart  man  ;  and  he's  Yankee 
too.  I  done  hear  him  say  he  gwine  to  j'in  de  Yan- 
kee navy." 

What  Quimp  said  was  rather  suspicious  ;  but 
Christy  could  see  nothing  to  justify  his  doubts. 
He  directed  the  cockswain  to  steer  the  cutter  as 
closely  to  the  side  of  the  Reindeer  as  the  move- 
ment of  the  oars  would  permit,  so  that  the  field- 
pieces  could  not  be  brought  to  bear  upon  it.  The 
steamer  lay  at  a  sort  of  temporary  pier,  which  had 
evidently  been  erected  for  her  accommodation,  and 
the  cotton  had  doubtless  been  brought  to  the  key 
by  river  steamers  by  the  Suwanee  and  other 
streams  from  cotton  regions. 

There  was  no  habitation  or  other  building  on 
the  shore,  but  a  gangway  was  stretched  to  the 
land,  over  which  a  couple  of  men  were  hastening 
on  board  when  the  cutter  reached  the  stern  of  the 
Reindeer.  From  appearances  Christy  judged  that 
the  water  had  been  deepened  by  dredges,  for  a  con- 
siderable quantity  pf  sand  and  mud  was  disposed 


320  FIGHTING    FOR    THE    RIGHT 

in  heaps  in  the  shallow  water  a  hundred  feet  or 
more  from  the  rude  wharf. 

"  Boat  ahoy  !  "  shouted  a  person  on  board,  near 
the  starboard  accommodation  ladder,  which  the 
officer  of  the  boat  had  noticed  was  in  place. 

"  On  board  the  steamer !  "  replied  Christy. 

"  What  is  your  business  here  ?  "  inquired  the 
person  on  the  deck  of  the  Reindeer,  though  he 
could  not  be  seen  from  the  cutter. 

"  I  will  go  on  board  and  inform  you,"  replied 
Christy. 

As  there  were  no  signs  of  resistance  on  board 
of  the  vessel,  the  officer  of  the  cutter  directed  his 
men  to  make  a  dash  for  the  accommodation  ladder, 
which  had  the  appearance  of  having  been  left  to 
make  tilings  convenient  for  a  boarding-party.  The 
crew  were  all  armed  with  a  cutlass  and  revolver  in 
the  belt. 

"  Lay  her  aboard  ! "  said  Christy,  quietly  enough, 
as  he  led  the  way  himself,  for  he  was  a  bold  leader, 
and  was  not  content  to  follow  his  men.  As  he 
leaped  down  from  the  bulwarks  to  the  deck,  he 
confronted  the  person  who  had  hailed  him  in  the 
boat. 

"  What  is  your  business  on  board  of  the  Rein- 


SUKRENDKR   OF   THE   IlEINDEER  321 

deer?  "  demanded,  iu  a  very  tame  tone,  the  man  in 
front  of  him. 

"  I  am  an  officer  of  the  United  States  navy,  and 
my  business  is  to  make  a  prize  of  this  steamer  and 
her  cargo,"  replied  Christy. 

"  Is  that  so  ?  You  did  not  give  me  your  name, 
sir,"  added  the  man. 

"  Lieutenant  Passford,  attached  to  the  United 
States  steamer  Bellevite.  Do  me  the  favor  to 
explain  who  you  are,  sir,"  returned  Christy. 

"  I  am  Captain  Solomon  Stopfoot,  in  command 
of  the  Reindeer,  at  your  service,  born  and  brought 
up  on  Long  Island,"  answered  the  commander  of 
the  steamer.  . 

"  Then  what  are  you  doing  here  ?  "  demanded 
the  naval  officer.  "  Where  were  you  born  on 
Long  Island?" 

"  In  Babylon,  on  the  south  shore." 

"  Then  Babylon  is  fallen ! "  exclaimed  Christy, 
indignant  to  find  a  man  born  so  near  his  own  home 
doing  the  dirty  work  of  the  Confederate  govern- 
ment. 

"  Perhaps  not ;  and  perhaps  you  may  change 
your  view  of  me  when  you  have  heard  my  story," 
added  Captain  Stopfoot. 


322  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

"  Well,  Captain,  there  is  only  one  story  that  I 
care  to  hear  just  now,  and  its  title  is  simply 
'  Surrender,' "  replied  Christy  rather  impatiently. 
"You  understand  my  business  on  board  of  the 
Reindeer ;  and  if  you  propose  to  make  any  resist- 
ance, it  is  time  for  you  to  begin." 

"  It  would  be  folly  for  me  to  make  any  resist- 
ance, and  I  shall  not  make  any.  I  have  only  two 
engineers,  two  firemen,  foreigners,  hired  in  Nassau, 
who  would  not  fight  if  I  wished  them  to  do  so, 
and  two  deck-hands.  I  could  do  nothing  against 
the  eight  well-armed  men  you  have  brought  on 
board.     I  surrender." 

"  I  should  say  that  was  a  wise  step  on  your 
part,  Captain  Stopfoot,"  replied  Christy.  "  When 
you  are  more  at  leisure,  I  hope  you  will  indulge 
me  in  an  explanation  of  the  manner  in  which  a 
Long  Islander  happens  to  be  engaged  in  blockade- 
running." 

-  "  I  am  an  American  citizen  now,  as  I  have 
always  been  ;  I  shall  be  only  too  happy  to  get 
back  under  the  old  flag.  As  an  evidence  of  my 
sincerity,  I  will  assist  you  in  getting  the  Rein- 
deer out  of  this  place.  The  tide  is  high  at  this 
moment ;  and  half  an  hour  from  now  it  will  be 


SURRENDER    OF    THE    REINDEER  323 

too  late  to  move  the  vessel,"  said  Captain  Stopfoot, 
with  every  appearance  of  sincerity  in  his  manner." 

"  I  will  see  you,  Captain,  as  soon  as  I  have 
looked  the  steamer  over,"  replied  Christy,  as  he 
left  the  commander  of  the  Reindeer  at  the  door  of 
his  cabin,  and  went  forward  to  examine  the  vessel. 

He  found  the  steam  up ;  and  the  engineer  bowed 
to  him  as  he  looked  into  his  room.  There  was 
nothing  to  be  seen  but  cotton,  piled  high  on  the 
deck,  and  stuffed  into  the  hold ;  and  he  returned 
to  the  cabin. 


324  FIGHTING   FOR   THE  HIGHT 


CHAPTER   XXIX 

BRINGING    OUT   THE  PRIZE 

It  seemed  to  Christy,  after  he  had  completed 
his  examination  of  the -Reindeer,  that  she  carried 
an  enormous  deck-load  for  a  steamer  of  her  size, 
and  that  the  bales  were  piled  altogether  too  high 
for  a  vessel  that  was  liable  to  encounter  a  heavy 
sea.  But  the  cotton  was  where  it  could  be  readily 
thrown  overboard  if  the  safety  of  the  steamer  was 
threatened  by  its  presence.  He  found  only  the  six 
men  mentioned  by  Stopfoot,  though  he  had  looked 
in  every  part  of  the  vessel,  even  to  the  fire-room 
and  the  quarters  of  the  crew  and  firemen. 

"  I  find  everything  as  you  stated,  Captain  Stop- 
foot  ;  but  I  should  say  that  you  were  proposing  to 
go  to  sea  short-handed.  I  did  not  even  see  a  per- 
son whom  I  took  for  the  mate.  Is  it  possible  that 
you  could  get  along  without  one  ?  "  said  Cliristy, 
when  he  met  the  commander  at  the  door  of  the 
cabin. 


BRINGING    OUT    THE   PRIZE  325 

"  The  truth  is,  that  my  men  deserted  me  when 
they  saw  the  two  men-of-war  come  into  the  bay, 
for  they  knew  I  liad  no  adequate  means  of  making 
a  defence.  In  fact,  the  Reindeer  was  as  good  as 
captured  as  soon  as  your  two  steamers  came  into 
the  bay,  for  you  were  morally  sure  to  find  her," 
replied  the  captain. 

"  But  where  are  your  men  ?  How  could  they 
get  away  ?  "  asked  Christy. 

"They  have  not  got  away  a  great  distance.  You 
could  see  the  gangway  to  the  shore  ;  and  all  they 
had  to  do  was  to  land,  without  even  the  trouble 
of  taking  to  a  boat.  They  are  all  on  the  long  key  ; 
and  without  some  sort  of  a  craft  they  will  not  be 
able  to  leave  it.  If  you  desire  to  spend  your  time 
in  hunting  them  down,  I  have  no  doubt  you  could 
find  them  all." 

"  How  many  of  them  are  there  on  the  island, 
Captain  Stopfoot?" 

"  The  mate,  four  deck-hands,  and  two  firemen. 
It  would  not  be  a  difficult  task  for  you  to  capture 
them  all,  for  I  did  not  look  upon  them  as  fighting 
material ;  they  have  crowded  about  all  the  men  of 
that  sort  into  the  army." 

"  I  have  no  desire  to  find  them,  and  they  may 


326  FIGHTING    FOU    THE    RIGHT 

stay  on  the  key  till  doomsday,  so  far  as  I  am  con- 
cerned," replied  Christy.  "  We  don't  regard  the 
men  employed  on  blockade-runners  as  of  much 
account.  But  it  is  time  to  get  under  way.  Captain  ; 
I  have  men  enough  to  do  all  the  work,  and  I  think 
I  have  learned  the  channel  well  enough  to  find  the 
way  out  into  the  deep  water  of  the  bay." 

"  As  I  said  before.  Lieutenant  Passford,  I  am 
willing  to  assist  you,  for  I  am  anxious  to  get  back 
among  my  own  people,  and  to  find  a  position  in 
the  old  navy.  I  have  been  master  of  a  vessel  for 
the  last  ten  years,  and  I  know  the  Southern  coast 
better  than  most  of  your  officers." 

"  No  doubt  you  will  find  a  place  when  you  want 
one,  for  all  competent  men  are  taken,"  replied 
Christy,  as  he  went  to  the  quarter  to  see  if  the 
Bellevite's  cutter  was  in  condition  to  be  towed  by 
the  Reindeer. 

He  had  left  the  boat  in  charge  of  Quimp,  or 
rather  he  had  left  him  in  it  without  assigning  any 
particular  duty  to  him.  He  was  no  longer  in  the 
cutter,  and  the  officer  concluded  that  he  had  taken 
to  the  long  key,  and  was  fraternizing  with  the 
renegades  who  had  deserted  the  Reindeer.  The 
long  painter  of  the  boat  was  taken  to  the  stern  and 


BEINGmG    OUT   THE   PRIZE  327 

made  fast  in  a  suitable  place,  and  Christy  hastened 
to  the  forward  part  of  the  vessel  with  six  of  his 
men,  leaving  a  quartermaster,  wdio  was  the  cock- 
swain of  the  cutter,  with  two  others,  in  charge  of 
the  after  part. 

On  his  way  he  went  into  the  engine-room,  which 
opened  from  the  main  deck,  where  he  had  before 
seen  the  two  engineers,  the  chief  of  whom  had 
received  him  very  politely.  He  suggested  to  the 
captain  that  he  had  made  no  arrangement  with 
these  officers,  and  he  was  not  quite  sure  that  they 
would  be  willing  to  do  duty  now  that  the  steamer 
was  a  prize. 

"  There  will  be  no  trouble  about  them,  for  they 
are  Englishmen,  engaged  at  Nassau,  and  they  will 
do  duty  as  long  as  they  are  paid  for  it,  as  they 
have  no  interest  in  the  quarrel  between  the  Nortli 
and  the  South,"  said  Captain  Stopfoot ;  and  Christy 
could  not  help  seeing  that  he  was  making  every- 
thing very  comfortable  for  him. 

"  We  are  willing  to  work  for  whoever  will  pay 
us,"  added  the  chief  engineer,  "  and  without  ask- 
ing any  hard  questions." 

"  I  will  see  that  you  are  paid,"  returned  Christy. 
"You  will  attend  to  the  bells  as  usual,  will  you?" 


328  FIGHTING    FOR    THE   RIGHT 

"  Yes,  sir ;  we  will  do  our  duty  faithfully,"  an- 
swered the  chief. 

Christy  and  the  captain  proceeded  to  the  pilot- 
house, which  appeared  to  have  been  recently  added 
to  the  vessel  to  suit  the  taste  of  her  American 
owners.  The  naval  officer  stationed  one  of  his 
own  men  at  the  wheel,  and  then  took  a  careful 
survey  of  the  position  of  the  steamer.  He  directed 
his  crew  to  cast  off  the  fasts. 

"  Is  there  a  United  States  flag  on  board  of  this 
craft.  Captain  Stopfoot  ?  "  asked  Christy. 

"  To  be  sure  there  is.  Lieutenant,"  said  the  cap- 
tain with  a  laugh;  "but  I  do  not  get  much  chance 
to  get  under  its  folds." 

"  Of  course  you  have  Confederate  flags  in  abun- 
dance ?  " 

"Enough  of  them,"  replied  the  commander,  as 
he  drew  forth  from  a  signal-box  the  flags  required. 
"  What  do  you  intend  to  do  with  these  ?  " 

"I  intend  to  hoist  the  United  States  flag  over 
the  Confederate  to  show  that  this  steamer  is  a 
prize,  otherwise  the  Bellevite  might  put  a  shot 
through  her  as  soon  as  she  shows  herself  outside 
of  the  key,"  replied  Christy. 

"A  wise  precaution,"  added  Captain  Stopfoot. 


BRINGING    OUT    THE    PllIZE  ,  329 

The  naval  officer  rang  one  bell  as  one  of  his  men 
reported  to  him  that  the  fasts  had  been  cast  off, 
and  that  all  was  clear.  The  srrating  sound  of  the 
engine  was  immediately  heard,  with  the"  splash  of 
the  paddle  wheels.  Very  slowly  the  Reindeer  be- 
gan to  move  forward.  Christy  had  very  carefully 
noted  the  bearings  of  the  channel  by  which  the 
steamer  must  pass  out  into  the  deep  water  of  the 
bay,  and  the  instructions  wliich  the  captain  volun- 
teered to  give  him  were  not  necessary. 

"  I  suppose  I  am  as  really  a  Northern  man  in 
principle  as  you  are,  Mr.  Passford,"  said  the  cap- 
tain, as  the  steamer  crept  very  cautiously  through 
the  pass  between  the  keys. 

"  If  you  are,  you  have  taken  a  different  way  to 
show  it,"  replied  Christy,  glancing  at  the  speaker. 

"  But  the  circumstances  have  compelled  me  to 
remain  in  the  service  of  my  Southern  employer 
until  the  present  time,  and  this  promises  to  be  the 
first  favorable  opportunity  to  escape  from  it  that 
has  been  presented  to  me,"  Captain  Stopfoot 
explained. 

"  You  have  been  to  Nassau  a  number  of  times, 
I  judge  ;  and  it  was  possible  for  you  to  abandon 
your  employment  any  time  you  pleased,"  suggested 
the  naval  ofileer. 


330  FIGHTING    FOR    THE    EIGHT 

"  It  was  not  so  easy  a  matter  as  you  seem  to 
think  ;  for  there  were  no  Northern  vessels  there  in 
which  I  coukl  take  passage  to  New  York,  or  an}^ 
other  loyal  port. 

"  Mr.  Groomer,  the  mate  of  the  Reindeer,  is  part 
owner  of  her,  though  he  is  not  competent  to  navi- 
gate a  vessel  at  sea,  and  he  kept  close  watch  of  me 
all  the  time,  on  shore  as  well  as  on  board." 

"  But  I  understand  that  Mr.  Groomer,  the  mate, 
has  deserted  you,  and  gone  on  shore  with  the  others 
of  your  ship's  company,"  added  Christy,  rather 
perplexed  at  the  situation  indicated  by  the  cap- 
tain. 

"  What  else  could  he  do  ?  " 

"  What  else  could  you  do  ?  and  why  did  you  not 
abandon  the  steamer  when  he  did  so?  If  one  of 
the  owners  would  not  stand  by  the  vessel,  why  did 
you  do  so?" 

"  I  have  told  you  before  why  I  did  not :  because 
I  wish  to  get  back  to  my  friends  in  the  North,  and 
find  a  place  in  the  old  navy,  which  would  be  more 
congenial  to  me  than  selling  cotton  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Confederacy,"  replied  Captain  Stopfoot  with 
^considerable  energy. 

The  explanation  seemed  to  be  a  reasonable  one, 


BRINGING    OUT    THE    PRIZE  331 

and  Christy  could  not  gainsay  it,  though  he  was 
not  entirely  satisfied  with  the  declarations  of 
the  commander.  He  admitted  that  he  regarded  the 
Reindeer  as  good  as  captured  when  he  saw  the 
Bellevite  and  Bronx  come  into  the  bay;  and  he 
could  easily  have  escaped  in  a  boat  to  one  of  the 
gunboats  after  the  watchful  mate  "took  to  the 
woods,"  as  he  had  literally  done,  for  the  key  was 
partly  covered  with  small  trees. 

"And  a  quarter  two!"  reported  the  leadsman 
who  had  been  stationed  on  the  forecastle. 

"  The  water  don't  seem  to  vary  here,"  added 
Christy. 

"  No,  for  the  owners  had  done  some  dredging  in 
this  channel;  in  fact,  there  was  hardly  anything 
like  a  channel  here  when  they  began  the  work," 
replied  Captain  Stopfoot.  "  To  which  of  the 
steamers  do  you  belong,  Mr.  Passford?" 

"  To  the  Bellevite,  the  one  which  lies  below  the 
long  key.     The  other  has  gone  up  the  bay." 

"  She  has  gone  on  a  fruitless  errand,  for  there  is 
not  another  vessel  loading  in  these  waters,"  said 
the  captain.  "  I  suppose  you  will  report  on  board 
of  the  Bellevite,  Mr.  Passford?  " 

"  Of  course  I  shall  not  leave  the  Reindeer  with- 


332  FIGHTING    YOU    THE    RIGHT 

out  an  order  from  the  commander  of  the  ship," 
replied  the  lieutenant. 

"  And  a  half  two  !  "  shouted  the  leadsman. 

"  The  channel  deepens,"  said  Christy. 

"  You  will  be  in  deep  water  in  five  minutes." 

On  this  report  Christy  rang  four  bells,  and  the 
Reindeer  went  ahead  at  full  speed. 

"  By  the  mark  three  !  "  called  the  man  at  the 
lead. 

The  water  was  deepening  rapidly,  and  presently 
the  report  of  three  and  a  half  fathoms  came  from 
the  forecastle.  It  was  soon  followed  by  "  And  a 
half  four,"  upon  which  the  lieutenant  directed  the 
wheelman  to  steer  directly  for  the  Bellevite.  He 
liad  hardly  given  the  order  before  the  report  of 
heavy  firing  from  the  upper  waters  of  the  bay 
came  to  his  ear. 

"  What  can  that  be  ?  "  he  asked,  looking  at  Cap- 
tain Stopfoot. 

"  I  don't  know ;  but  I  suppose  that  the  gunboat 
which  went  up  the  bay  is  firing  at  some  battery 
she  has  discovered.  They  have  strengthened  the 
works  in  that  direction  which  defend  the  town, 
since  the  only  one  there  was  silenced  by  one  of 
your  gunboats,"  the  captain  explained. 


BRINGING    OUT     THE    PRIZE  666 

The  guns  were  heard  on  board  of  the  Bellevite, 
and  she  began  to  move  up  the  bay  as  though  she 
intended  to  proceed  to  the  assistance  of  her  con- 
sort. Mr.  Blowitt  in  the  first  cutter  had  followed 
the  Bronx,  and  the  third  cutter,  in  charge  of  Mr.- 
Lobscott,  had  gone  over  to  Piney  Point,  to  which 
there  was  a  channel  with  from  three  to  five 
fathoms  of  water,  and  which  seemed  to  be  a 
favorable  place  to  load  a  vessel  with  cotton. 

As  the  Reindeer  approached  the  Bellevite,  the 
latter  stopped  her  screw,  and  Christy  directed  the 
wheelman  to  run  the  steamer  alongside,  and  within 
twenty  or  thirty  feet  of  her.  There  was  no  sea 
in  the  bay,  and  there  was  no  danger  in  doing  so. 
As  the  Reindeer  approached  the  position  indi- 
cated, two  bells  were  struck  to  stop  her.  The 
flags  that  had  been  hoisted  on  board,  informed 
Captain  Breaker  of  the  capture  of  the  steamer,  so 
that  no  report  was  necessary. 

"  I  have  to  report  the  capture  of  the  Reindeer, 
loaded  with  cotton,  and  ready  to  sail  for  Nassau," 
said  Christy,  mounting  one  of  the  high  piles  of 
cotton  bales,  and  saluting  the  commander  of  the 
Bellevite,  who  had  taken  his  place  on  the  rail  to 
see  the  prize. 


334 


FIGHTING    FOR    THE    RIGHT 


"  Do  you  know  the  cause  of  the  firing  up  the 
bay,  Mr.  Passford  ?  "  asked  Captain  Breaker. 

"  I  do  not,  Captain ;  but  I  learn  that  the  battery 
below  the  town  has  been  strengthened,  and  I 
should  judge  that  the  Bronx  had  engaged  it." 

"  Have  you  men  enough  to  hold  your  prize,  Mr. 
Passford?" 

"I  think  I  have,  Captain." 

"  You  will  go  down  the  bay,  and  anchor  outside 
of  Egmont  Key." 

Christy  rang  one  bell,  and  then  four. 


A    VERY    IMPORTANT    SERVICE  335 


CHAPTER  XXX 

A   VERY   IIMPORTANT   SERVICE 

The  Reindeer  went  ahead  at  full  speed,  while 
the  Bellevite  stood  up  the  bay,  picking  up  the  crew 
of  Mr.  Blowitt's  boat  on  the  way,  evidently  with 
the  intention  of  taking  part  in  the  action  which 
the  Bronx  had  initiated.  The  loud  reports  at  in- 
tervals indicated  that  the  Bronx  was  using  her 
big  midship  gun,  while  the  feebler  sounds  proved 
that  the  metal  of  the  battery  was  much  lighter. 
The  prize  was  not  a  fast  steamer,  and  she  was 
over  an  hour  in  making  the  dozen  miles  to  Egmont 
Island,  on  which  was  the  tower  of  a  lighthouse  forty 
feet  high,  but  no  use  was  made  of  it  at  that  time. 

The  Bellevite  proceeded  very  slowly,  sounding 
all  the  time ;  but  at  the  end  of  half  an  hour  the 
Reindeer  was  at  least  ten  miles  from  her,  Avliich 
was  practically  out  of  sight  and  hearing.  About 
this  time  Christy  observed  that  Captain  Stopfoot 
left  the  pilot-house,  where  he  had  remained  from 


83G  FIGHTING    roil   THE    RIGHT 

the  first;  but  he  paid  no  attention  to  him.  He 
had  three  men  on  the  quarter-deck  of  the  steamer, 
one  in  the  pilot-house  with  him,  and  five  more  in 
other  parts  of  the  vessel. 

Christy  knew  the  channel  to  the  south  of  the 
lighthouse,  and  piloted  the  steamer  to  a  point  about 
half  a  mile  to  the  westward  of  the  island.  He 
was  looking  through  one  of  the  forward  windows 
of  the  pilot-house,  selecting  a  proper  place  to  come 
to  anchor,  in  accordance  with  the  orders  of  Captain 
Breaker.  While  he  was  so  engaged  he  heard  some 
sort  of  a  disturbance  in  the  after  part  of  the 
steamer. 

"  On  deck  there !  "  he  called  sharply ;  and  the 
five  men  who  had  been  stationed  in  this  part  of 
the  steamer  stood  up  before  him,  jumping  up  from 
the  beds  they  had  made  for  themselves  on  the 
cotton  bales,  or  rushing  out  from  behind  them. 
"  Hopkins  and  White,  go  aft  and  ascertain  the 
cause  of  that  disturbance,"  he  added. 

The  two  men  promptly  obeyed  the  order,  ani 
the  naval  officer  directed  the  other  three  to  stand 
by  to  anchor  the  steamer.  In  a  few  minutes  the 
anchor  was  ready  to  let  go.  Perhaps  a  quarter  of 
an  hour  had  elapsed,  when  Christy  began  to  won- 


A  VERY  IMPORTANT  SERVICE       337 

der  what  had  become  of  the  two  men  he  had  sent 
aft  to  report  on  the  disturbance. 

"Linman,"  he  called  to  one  of  the  three  men  on 
the  forecastle,  "  go  aft  and  see  what  has  become  of 
Hopkhis  and  White." 

Linman  proceeded  to  obey  the  order,  but  had 
not  been  gone  twenty  seconds,  before  the  noise  of 
another  disturbance  came  to  Christy's  ears,  and 
this,  time  it  sounded  very  much  like  a  scuffle.  Up 
to  this  moment,  and  even  since  Captain  Stopfoot 
had  left  the  pilot-house,  Christy  had  not  suspected 
that  anything  on  board  was  wrong.  The  sounds 
that  came  from  the  after  part  of  the  vessel  excited 
his  suspicions,  though  they  did  not  assure  him 
that  the  ship's  company  of  the  steamer  were  en- 
gaged in  anything  like  a  revolt. 

"Follow  me,  Bench  and  Kingman  !  "  he  shouted 
to  the  two  men  that  remained  on  the  forecastle. 
"  Strike  two  bells.  Landers,"  he  added  to  the 
wheelman. 

Christ}^  had  drawn  the  cutlass  he  carried  in  his 
belt,  and  was  ready,  with  the  assistance  of  the  two 
men  he  had  called,  to  put  down  any  insubordina- 
tion that  might  have  been  manifested  b}^  tlie  ship's 
company  of  the  priz.e.     He  would  have  been  will- 


Co8  FIGHTING    FOR    THE    RIGHT 

h\g  to  admit,  if  he  liad  given  the  matter  any  atten- 
tion at  that  moment,  that  it  was  the  natural  right 
of  the  captured  captain  and  his  men  to  regain  pos- 
session of  their  persons  and  property  by  force  and 
violence ;  but  he  was  determined  to  make  it  dan- 
gerous for  them  to  do  so. 

"  On  the  forecastle,  sir ! "  exclaimed  Landers, 
the  wheelman. 

Christy  had  put  his  hand  upon  the  door  of  the 
pilot-house  to  open  it  as  the  two  men  were  moving 
aft ;  but  he  looked  out  the  window  at  the  exclama- 
tion of  the  wheelman.  The  cotton  bales  seemed 
to  have  become  alive  all  at  once,  for  half  a  dozen 
of  them  rolled  over  like  a  spaniel  just  out  of  the 
water,  and  four  men  leaped  out  from  under  them, 
or  from  apertures  which  had  been  formed  beneath 
them. 

Bench  and  Kingman  seemed  to  be  bewildered, 
and  both  of  them  were  thrown  down  by  the  move- 
ment of  the  bales.  The  four  men  who  had  so 
suddenly  appeared  sprang  upon  them,  and  almost 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  had  tied  their  hands 
behind  them.  Christy  drew  one  of  the  revolvers 
from  his  belt ;  but  he  did  not  fire,  for  he  was  as 
likely  to  hit  his  ov.n  men  as  their  assa'ilants.     The 


A   VERY    IMPORTANT    SERVICE  33^ 

victors  in  the  struggle  dragged  the  two  men  into 
the  forecastle,  and  disappeared  themselves. 

Christy  was  almost  confounded  by  the  sudden- 
ness of  the  attack  ;  but  he  did  not  give  up  tlie 
battle,  for  he  had  at  least  six  men  in  the  after  part 
of  the  steamer.  Bidding  Landers  draw  his  cutlass 
and  follow  him,  he  rushed  out  at  the  door  he  had 
before  opened.  He  could  not  see  anything  aft  but 
the  walls  of  cotton  bales,  with  a  narrow  passage 
between  them  and  the  bulwarks.  He  moved  aft 
with  his  eyes  wide  open ;  but  he  had  not  gone  ten 
feet  before  a  man  dropped  down  upon  him  from 
the  top  of  the  deck-load  with  so  much  force  as  to 
carry  him  down  to  the  planks. 

His  assailant  put  his  arms  around  him  and 
hugged  him  like  a  bear,  so  that  he  could  neither 
use  his  cutlass  nor  his  revolvers.  At  the  same 
moment  another  man  dropped  down  on  Landers 
in  like  mauler.  It  was  impossible  to  resist  an 
attack  made  from  overhead,  where  it  was  least 
expected,  and  when  they  were  taken  by  surprise. 
Christy  was  a  prisoner,  and  his  hands  were  bound 
behind  him. 

At  this  moment  Captain  Stopfoot  presented 
himself   before   the  prize-master,  his  face  covered 


340  FIGHTING    FOR    THE   RIGHT 

witli  smiles,  and  nervous  from  the  excess  of  his  joy 
at  the  recapture  of  the  Reindeer.  Christy  could 
not  see  what  had  become  of  the  rest  of  his  men. 
He  know  that  three  of  them  had  been  secured,  but 
he  did  not  know  what  had  become  of  the  other 
six,  and  he  had  some  hope  that  they  had  escaped 
their  assailants,  and  were  in  condition  to  render 
liim  needed  assistance,  for  it  seemed  impossible 
that  all  of  them  could  have  been  overcome. 

In  spite  of  his  chagrin  and  mortification,  Christy 
could  not  help  seeing  that  the  affair  on  the  part  of 
Captain  Stopfoot  had  been  well  managed,  and  that 
the  author  of  the  plot  was  smart  enough  to  be  a 
Yankee,  whether  he  was  one  or  not.  It  was  evi- 
dent enoup-h  now  that  the  mate  and  the  rest  of  the 
crew  had  not  "  taken  to  the  woods,"  but  had  been 
concealed  in  such  dens  as  could  be  easily  made 
among  the  cotton  bales. 

"  I  hope  you  are  not  very  uncomfortable,  Mr. 
Passford,"  said  Captain  Stopfoot,  as  he  presented 
his  smiling  face  before  his  late  captor. 

"  Physically,  I  am  not  very  uncomfortable,  in 
spite  of  these  bonds;  but  otherwise,  I  must  say 
that  I  am.  I  am  willing  to  acknowledge  that  it  is 
a  bad  scrape  for    me,"    replied  Christy   as   good- 


A    VERY    IMPORTANT    SERVICE  341 

naturedly  as  possible,  for  his  pride  would  not 
allow  him  to  let  the  enemy  triumph  over  him. 

"  That  would  not  be  at  all  unnatural,  and  I 
think  it  is  a  very  bad  scrape  for  a  naval  officer  of 
your  high  reputation  to  get  into,"  added  the  cap- 
tain. "  But  I  desire  to  say,  Mr.  Passford,  that  1 
have  no  ill-will  towards  you,  and  it  will  not  be 
convenient  for  me  to  send  you  to  a  Confederate 
prison,  important  as  such  a  service  would  be  to 
our  cause." 

"  I  judge  that  you  are  not  as  anxious  as  you 
were  to  get  into  the  old  navy,"  added  Christy. 

"  I  confess  tliat  I  am  not,  and  that  I  should  very 
much  prefer  to  obtain  a  good  position  in  the  Con- 
federate navy.  I  hope  you  will  excuse  the  little 
fictions  in  which  I  indulged  for  your  amusement. 
I  was  born  in  the  very  heart  of  the  State  of 
Alabama,  and  never  saw  Long  Island  in  all  my 
life,"  continued  the  captain.  "  By  the  way,  my 
mate  is  not  part  owner  of  the  Reindeer,  though  lie 
is  just  as  faithful  to  her  interests  as  though  he 
owned  the  whole  of  her;  and  it  was  he  that 
pounced  down  upon  you  at  the  right  moment. 
I  assure  you  he  is  a  very  good  fellow,  and  I  hope 
you  will  not  have  any  grudge  against  him." 


342  FIGHTING    FOR    THE    KIGHT 

"Not  the  least  in  the  world,  Captain  Stopfoot," 
replied  Christy. 

"  I  hope  I  shall  not  be  obliged  to  detain  you 
long,  Mr.  Passford ;  and  I  shall  not  unless  one  of 
your  gunboats  chases  me.  I  shall  endeavor  to  put 
you  and  your  men  on  shore  at  the  Gasparilla  Pass, 
where  you  can  hail  one  of  the  gunboats  as  it  comes 
along  in  pursuit  of  the  Reindeei',  though  I  hope 
they  will  not  sail  for  this  purpose  before  night." 

"  The  Bellevite  is  not  likely  to  discover  the  ab- 
sence of  the  prize  at  present,  for  she  will  have  to 
remain  up  the  bay  over  one  tide,"  said  the  mate. 

"  That  is  what  I  was  calculating  upon,"  added 
the  captain.  "  Now,  Mr.  Passford,  I  shall  be  com- 
pelled to  take  my  leave  •  of  you,  for  we  have  to 
stow  the  cotton  over  again  before  we  go  to  sea.  I 
am  exceedingly  obliged  to  you  for  the  very  valua- 
ble service  you  have  rendered  me." 

"  I  was  not  aware  that  I  had  rendered  you  any 
service,"  replied  Christy,  wondering  what  he  could 
mean. 

"  You  are  not  ?  Then  your  perception  is  not  as 
clear  gfe  I  supposed  it  was.  When  it  was  reported 
to  me  that  two  gunboats  were  coming  into  the  bay 
I  considered  the  Reindeer  as  good  as  caj)tured,  as  I 


A   VERY   IMPORTANT    SERVICE  Sio 

have  hinted  to  you  before.  My  cargo  will  bring 
a  fortune  in  Nassau,  and  I  am  half  owner  of  the 
steamer  and  her  cargo,  if  Mr.  G roomer,  the  mate, 
is  not.  I  was  almost  in  despair,  for  I  could  not 
afford  to  lose  my  vessel  and  her  valuable  cargo.  I 
considered  myself  utterly  ruined.  But  just  then 
I  got  an  idea,  and  I  came  to  a  prompt  decision ;  " 
and  the  captain  paused. 

"  And  what  was  that  decision  ?  "  asked  Christy 
curiously. 

"  When  I  saw  your  boat  coming,  for  I  was  on 
the  long  key,  I  determined  that  you  should  bring 
the  Reindeer  out  into  the  Gulf,  and  save  me  all 
trouble  and  anxiety  in  regard  to  her,  and  I  knev/ 
that  you  could  do  it  a  great  deal  better  than  I 
could.  Wherefore  I  am  extremely  grateful  to  you 
for  this  very  important  service,"  said  Captain  Stop- 
foot,  bowing  very  politely.  "  But  I  am  compelled 
to  leave  you  now  to  your  own  pleasant  reflections. 
Mr.  Passford,  I  shall  ask  you  and  your  men  to  take 
possession  of  the  cabin,  and  not  show  yourselves 
on  deck  ;  and  you  will  pardon  me  if  I  lock  the 
door  upon  you." 

The  captive  officer  followed  the  captain  aft  to 
the  door  of  the  cabhi.     On  a  bale  of  cotton  he  saw 


344  FIGHTING    FOR    THE    EIGHT 

the  cutlasses  and  revolvers  which  had  been  taken 
from  him  and  his  men,  which  had  a[)parently  been 
thrown  in  a  heap  where  they  happened  to  hit,  and 
had  been  forgotten.  Seated  on  the  cotton  he 
found  all  his  men,  with  their  hands  tied  behind 
them.  Captain  Stopfoot  opened  the  cabin  door, 
and  directed  his  prisoners  to  enter. 

"  Excuse  me  for  leaving  you  so  abruptly,  Mr. 
Passford,"  continued  the  captain  while  he  was 
feeling  in  his  pocket  for  the  key  of  the  door.  "  It 
looks  as  though  it  were  going  to  blow  before  night, 
and  I  must  get  ready  for  it.  Besides,  the  Belle- 
vite  may  return  on  the  present  tide,  and  I  am 
informed  that  she  is  a  very  fast  sailer,  as  the 
Reindeer  is  not,  and  I  must  make  the  most  of  my 
opportunity  ;  but  when  my  fortune  is  made  out  of 
my  present  cargo,  I  shall  owe  it  largely  to  you. 
Adieu  for  the  present." 

Captain  Stopfoot  left  the  cabin,  locking  the  door 
behind  him.  The  hands  of  the  prisoners,  ten  in 
number,  were  tied  behind  them  with  ropes,  for 
probably  the  steamer  was  not  provided  with  hand- 
cuffs. Christy  examined  his  men  in  regard  to  the 
manner  in  which  they  had  been  overcome.  The 
three  men  who  had  been  left  near  the  cabin  door 


"  His  assailant   put  his  arms   around  him  and   hugged  him  like 
A  BEAR."     Page  339. 


A    VERY    IMPORTANT    SERVICE  345 

had  been  overthrown  by  those  who  jumped  down 
upon  them  when  they  were  separated,  one  at  the 
stern,  one  on  the  bales,  watching  the  Bellevite  ia 
the  distance,  and  the  third  asleep  on  a  cotton  bale. 
The  lieutenant  had  seen  the  rest  of  the  enterprise. 

"  This  thing  is  not  going  to  last  long,  my  men," 
said  Christy,  who  realized  that  he  should  never  be 
able  to  stand  up  under  the  obloquy  of  having 
brought  out  a  blockade-runner  for  the  enemy. 

He  caused  the  hands  to  march  in  front  of  him 
till  he  found  one  who  had  been  carelessly  bound. 
He  backed  this  one  up  in  the  rear  of  Calwood,  the 
quartermaster,  and  made  him  untie  the  line,  which 
he  could  do  with  his  fingers,  though  his  wrists 
were  bound.  It  was  not  the  work  of  three  min- 
utes to  unbind  the  rest  of  them. 

Christy  broke  a  pane  of  glass  in  the  dooi\  and 
unlocked  it  with  the  key  the  captain  had  left  in 
the  keyhole. 


346  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 


CHAPTER   XXXI 

AN    UNDESIRED    PROMOTION 

As  Christy  unlocked  the  cabin  door,  he  discov- 
ered a  negro  lying  on  the  deck,  as  close  as  he  could 
get  to  the  threshold.  The  man  attempted  to 
spring  to  his  feet,  but  the  officer  seized  him  by  the 
hair  of  the  head,  and  pulled  him  into  the  cabin. 

"  Here,  Calwood,  put  your  hand  over  this  fel- 
low's mouth  !  "  said  Christy  to  the  quartermaster, 
who  laid  violent  hands  on  him,  assisted  b}^  Norlock. 

The  latter  produced  a  handkerchief,  which  he 
thrust  into  the  mouth  of  the  negro,  so  that  he 
could  not  give  the  alarm.  All  the  men  were  alert 
and  eager  to  wipe  out  the  shame,  as  they  regarded- 
it,  of  the  disaster;  and  those  who  had  been  sta- 
tioned near  the  cabin  had  certainly  been  wanting 
in  vigilance.  Two  of  them  seized  a  couple  of  the 
lines  with  which  they  had  been  bound,  and  tied  the 
arms  of  the  negro  behind  him. 

A  second  look  at  the  negro  assured  Christy  that 


AN    UNDESIUED    PROMOTION  347 

it  was  Quimp,  and  he  was  more  mortified  than 
before  at  the  trick  wliich  had  been  played  upon 
him.  Thrusting  his  hand  into  the  pocket  of  the 
fellow,  he  drew  from  it  the  three  sovereigns  and 
the  three  shillings  he  had  paid  him  for  his  boat 
and  his  information.  It  was  evident  enough  now 
that  he  belono^ed  to  the  Reindeer,  and  that  he  had 
been  sent  out  by  Captain  Stopfoot  to  do  precisely 
what  he  had  done,  taking  advantage  of  the  general 
good  feeling  which  prevailed  between  the  negroes 
and  the  Union  forces. 

Christy  thought  that  Captain  Stopfoot  had  been 
over-confident  to  leave  his  prisoners  without  a 
guard  ;  but  it  appeared  now  that  Quimp  had  been 
employed  in  this  capacity,  though  it  was  probable 
that  he  had  been  instructed  not  to  show  himself  to 
them,  and  for  that  reason  had  crept  to  his  station 
and  lain  down  on  the  deck. 

"  Now,  my  men,  take  your  arms  from  that  bale 
of  cotton ;  but  don't  make  any  noise,"  said  Christy 
in  a  low  tone,  as  he  took  his  revolvers  and  cutlass 
from  the  heap  of  weapons ;  and  the  seamen 
promptly  obeyed  the  order.  "  The  captain  of  this 
steamer  managed  his  affair  very  well  indeed,  and  I 
intend  to  adopt  his  tactics." 


348  FIGHTING    FOR    THE    RIGHT 

The  steamer  was  under  way,  and  had  been  for 
some  time.  Christy  climbed  upon  the  bales  of  cot- 
ton far  enough  to  see  wliat  the  crew  of  the  vessel 
were  doing.  The  hatches  appeared  to  have  been 
taken  off  in  the  waist  and  forward,  and  the  crew 
were  lo\vering  cargo  into  the  hold.  A  portion  of 
the  cotton  had  either  been  hoisted  out  of  the  hold, 
or  had  been  left  on  deck,  to  form  the  hiding-places 
for  the  men.  The  captain  must  have  had  early 
notice  of  the  approach  of  the  Bellevite  and  Bronx ; 
but  there  had  been  time  enough  after  the  former 
began  to  fire  at  the  battery  to  enable  him  to  make 
all  liis  preparations. 

Captain  Stopfoot  was  not  to  be  seen,  and  was 
probably  in  the  pilot-house.  The  officer  concluded 
that  there  must  be  as  many  as  four  men  in  the  hold 
attending  to  the  stowage  of  the  bales,  and  four 
more  could  be  seen  tumbling  the  cargo  through 
the  hatches.  This  accounted  for  eight  men ;  and 
this  was  the  number  Christy  had  figured  out  as 
the  crew  of  the  Reindeer,  though  there  was  doubt- 
less a  man  at  the  wheel.  The  force  was  about 
equal  to  his  own,  not  counting  the  engineers  and 
the  firemen. 

Christy  stationed  liis  men  as  he  believed  Cap- 


AN    UNDESIRED   PROMOTION  349 

tain  Stopfoot  had  arranged  his  force.  The  cabin 
was  in  a  deck-house ;  between  the  door  of  it  and 
the  piles  of  cotton  was  a  vacant  space  of  about  six 
feet  fore  and  aft,  which  could  not  be  overlooked 
from  the  forward  part  of  the  vessel.  It  was  here 
that  the  first  movement  had  been  made.  Calwood, 
who  had  been  on  duty  here,  said  that  two  men  had 
dropped  down  upon  them ;  and  when  the  third 
man  came  to  learn  the  cause  of  the  disturbance,  he 
had  been  secured  by  two  more. 

This  was  the  noise  that  Christy  had  heard  when 
he  sent  two  hands  from  the  forecastle  to  ascertain 
the  occasion  of  it.  The  three  prisoners  had  been 
disarmed,  bound,  and  concealed  in  the  cabin. 
They  were  threatened  with  instant  death  if  they 
made  any  outcry,  and  one  of  their  own  revolvers 
was  pointed  at  them.  Linman,  who  had  been  sent 
to  learn  what  had  become  of  Hopkins  and  White, 
was  treated  in  the  same  manner.  Then  he  went 
himself,  and  the  mate  had  dropped  upon  him, 
Avhile  those  from  under  the  bales  secured  Bench 
and  Kingman. 

Every  sailor  was  fully  instructed  in  regard  to 
the  part  he  was  to  have  in  the  programme,  and 
Christ}'  had  crav/led  forward  to  the  point  where  he 


350  FIGHTING   FOR   THE   RIGHT 

found  the  aperture  in  which  Groomer,  the  mate, 
had  been  concealed.  He  was  followed  by  Norlock, 
a  very  powerful  man,  wlijo^was  to  "make  the 
drop  "  on  Captain  Stopfoot,  and  stuff  a  handker- 
chief into  his  mouth  before  he  could  call  for  as- 
sistance. Christy  believed  that  the  commander 
would  be  the  first  one  to  come  aft  when  the  men 
by  the  cabin  fired  their  revolvers,  as  they  had  been 
instructed  to  do. 

Two  hands  had  been  placed  where  they  could 
fall  upon  the  two  who  were  rolling  the  cotton  into 
the  hold  at  the  hatch  in  the  waist ;  and  two  more 
were  instructed  to  rush  forward  and  fall  upon  the 
two  men  at  work  at  the  fore-hatch.  The  four 
men  in  the  space  in  front  of  the  cabin  were  to 
leap  upon  the  bales  and  rush  forward,  revolvers  in 
hand,  and  secure  those  at  work  in  the  hold.  If 
there  was  any  failure  of. the  plan  to  Avork  as 
arranged,  the  sailors  were  to  rally  at  the  side  of 
their  officer,  ready  for  a  stand-up  fight. 

Christy  gave  the  signal  for  the  two  revolvers  to 
be  discharged.  The  captain  did  not  appear  at  the 
report  of  the  arms  as  expected ;  but  he  ordered 
the  two  hands  at  work  at  the  after-hatch  to  go  aft 
and  look  out  for  the  prisoners.     The  two  .seamen 


AN   UNDESIRED   PROMOTION  351 

on  that  side  of  the  steamer  dropped  upon  them, 
gagged  them,  and  secured  them  so  quickly  tliat 
they  could  liardly  have  known  what  had  happened 
to  them.  The  enterprise  had  been  inaugurated 
without  much  noise  ;  but  the  captain  had  heard 
it,  and  called  one  of  the  men  at  the  fore-hatch  to 
take  the  wheel,  from  which  it  appeared  that  he 
had  been  steering  the  steamer  himself. 

The  naval  officer  saw  this  man  enter  the  pilot- 
house, from  which  Captain  Stopfoot  had  come  out. 
He  moved  aft  quite  briskly  with  a  revolver  in  his 
hand;  but  as  soon  as  he  had  reached  the  point 
where  the  mate  had  dropped  upon  him,  Christy 
leaped  upon  his  head  and  shoulders,  and  he  sank 
to  the  deck,  borne  down  by  the  weight  of  his 
assailant.  He  was  surprised,  as  the  first  victim 
of  the  movement  had  been,  and  a  handkerchief 
was  stuffed  into  his  mouth.  He  had  dropped  his 
weapon,  which  Christy  picked  up  and  discharged 
wliile  his  knees  were  placed  on  the  chest  of  the 
prostrate  commander,  and  his  left  hand  grappled 
his  tjiroat.  He  was  conquered  as  quickly  as  the 
first  victim  had  been. 

The  shots  had  been  the  signal  for  all  not  engaged 
to  rally  at  the  side  of  the  lieutenant,  and  the  men 


352  FIGHTING    FOR    THE   RIGHT 

rushed  forward.  All  of  of  them  had  removed  their 
neck  handkerchiefs  to  serve  as  gags,  and  they 
brought  with  them  the  lines  with  which  they  had 
been  bound.  The  captain  was  rolled  over,  and  his 
arms  tied  behind  him.  He  was  sent  aft  to  the 
cabin,  while  Christy  led  six  of  his  crew  forward. 
The  hands  in  the  hold  had  attempted  to  come  on 
deck,  but  the  two  sailors  at  each  hatch  di-opped 
upon  them. 

In  less  than  five  minutes  every  one  of  the  crew 
of  the  Reindeer  had  been  "  jumped  upon,"  as  the 
sailors  put  it,  bound,  and  marched  to  the  cabin. 
The  battle  was  fought  and  the  victory  won. 
Christy  was  quite  as  happy  as  Captain  Stopfoot 
had  been  when  he  had  taken  possession  of  the 
steamer.  The  man  at  the  wheel  had  been  the  last 
to  be  secured,  and  Calwood  was  put  in  his  place, 
with  directions  to  come  about  and  steer  for  Eg:- 
mont  Key. 

Christy  determined  not  to  make  the  mistake  Cap- 
tain Stopfoot  had  committed  in  leaving  his  prison- 
ers insufficiently  guarded.  He  selected  four  of 
his  best  men,  ordered  them  to  hold  the  cutlass  in 
the  right  hand  and  the  revolver  in  the  left,  and  to 
keep  their  eyes  on  the  prisoners  all  the  time.     He 


AN    UXDZSIRED    PROMOTION  353 

then  went  to  those  who  had  been  gagged,  and 
removed  the  handkerchiefs  from  their  mouths. 

"  I  am  as  grateful  to  you,  Captain  Stopfoot,  as 
you  were  to  me  less  tJian  an  hour  ago,"  said  Christy, 
and  he  removed  the  gag  from  his  moUth.  "  I  am 
happy  to  be  able  to  reciprocate  your  complimentary 
speeches." 

"  I  am  not  aware  that  I  have  done  anything  to 
merit  your  gratitude,  Mr.  Passford,"  said  the 
chief  prisoner. 

"  You  are  not  ?  Why,  my  dear  Captain,  you 
could  not  have  arranged  everything  better  than 
you  did  for  the  recapture  of  the  Reindeer,"  replied 
Christy. 

"  I  did  not  think  that  ten  men  with  their  hands 
tied  behind  them  could  do  anything  to  help  them- 
selves ;  but  you  Yankees  are  very  ingenious,  and 
it  seems  that  you  found  a  way  to  liberate  your- 
selves. Besides,  I  had  a  hand  here  to  watch  you, 
with  instructions  to  call  me  if  there  was  any 
trouble,"  added  the  captain,  in  an  apologetic  tone. 

"  When  the  trouble  came  he  was  not  in  condi- 
tion to  call  you,"  the  lieutenant  explained. 

"  No,  sar !  Dem  beggars  gagged  me,  and  den 
robbed  me  of   all    my  money !  "  howled    Quimp, 


354  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

whose  greatest  grievance  was  the  loss  of  his  fifteen 
dollars. 

"  That  was  hardly  justifiable,  Mr.  Passford," 
added  the  captain  shaking  his.  head. 

"  It  would  not  have  been  justifiable  if  the  rogue 
had  not  first  swindled  me  out  of  the  money,"  re- 
plied the  naval  officer. 

"How  was  that?  "  asked  the  chief  prisoner. 

Christy  explained  the  manner  in  which  he  had 
encountered  Quimp,  saying  that  he  had  paid  him 
five  dollars  for  the  loss  of  his  boat,  and  ten  for  the 
information  that  a  steamer  was  loaded  with  cotton 
and  ready  to  sail  behind  the  long  key. 

"  Quimp  is  as  smart  as  a  Yankee,"  said  Captain 
Stopfoot,  laughing  in  spite  of  his  misfortune. 
"  The  flatboat  was  one  we  picked  up  on  one  of  the 
keys;  and  the  mformation  was  precisely  what  I 
instructed  Quimp  to  give  you,  without  money  and 
without  price.  I  promised  to  give  him  ten  dollars 
if  he  would  pretend  to  be  an  honest  nigger,  and  do 
tlie  job  properly.  I  have  no  fault  to  find  with  him; 
but  under  present  circumstances  I  have  not  ten 
dollars  to  give  him.  I  have  lost  the  steamer  and 
the  cotton,  and  it  seems  to  be  all  up  with  me." 

"  I  hope  you  will  get  into  a  safer  business,  Cap- 


AN    UNDESniED    PEOMOTION  355 

tain.  I  will  suggest  to  the  commander  of  the 
Bellevite  that  you  and  your  party  be  landed  at 
Gasparilla  Pass ;  and  I  shall  thus  be  able  to  recip- 
rocate your  good  intentions  towards  me." 

Christy  had  sent  some  of  his  men  forward,  and 
he  now  followed  them  himself.  The  engineers 
had  remained  in  their  room,  and  kept  the  machinery 
in  motion.  As  the  Reindeer  approached  Egmont 
Key,  the  Bellevite,  followed  by  the  Bronx  towino- 
a  schooner,  were  discovered  coming  out  of  the  bay. 
It  was  evident  that  the  second  lieutenant's  cap- 
ture had  not  been  the  only  one  during  the  day,  and 
he  concluded  that  Mr.  Lobscott  had  brought  out 
the  schooner  that  had  been  supposed  to  be  at 
Piney  Point. 

The  Reindeer  was  about  two  miles  south  of  Eo-- 
mont  Key  when  the  Bellevite  came  out  of  the  bay, 
and  the  latter  stopped  her  screw  as  soon  as  she 
had  reached  a  favorable  position  a  mile  from  the 
island.  Christy  brought  his  prize  as  near  to  her  as 
it  was  prudent  to  go  in  the  open  sea.  The  lieu- 
tenant went  to  the  cabin  to  look  out  for  the  pris- 
oners there,  and  found  that  the  four  men  who  had 
been  detailed  a  guard  were  marching  up  and  down 
the  cabin  in  front"  of  their  charge,  plainly  deter- 


356  FIGHTING   FOB   THE   EIGHT 

mined  that  the  steamer  should  not  be  captured 
again. 

"  Boat  from  the  Bellevite,  sir,"  said  one  of  the 
men  on  the  quarter. 

"  Where  is  the  Bronx  and  her  prize  now,  King- 
man ?  "  asked  Christy. 

"  Just  coming  by  the  island,  sir." 

In  a  few  minutes  more  the  third  cutter  of  the 
Bellevite  came  alongside.  Mr.  Walbrook,  the 
third  lieutenant  of  the  ship,  came  on  board  of 
the  Reindeer,  and  touched  his  cap  to  his  supe- 
rior officer. 

"  Captain  Breaker  requests  you  to  report  on 
board  of  the  ship,  and  I  am  directed  to  take  charge 
of    the  prize   you  have   captured,  Mr.   Passford." 

"I  will  go  on  board  at  once,  Mr.  Walbrook," 
replied  Christy.  "It  is  necessary  for  me  to  inform 
you  before  I  leave  that  this  steamer  has  changed 
hands  twice  to-day,  and  her  ship's  company  have 
given  me  a  great  deal  of  trouble.  The  prisoners 
are  in  the  cabin  under  guard,  and  I  must  caution 
you  to  be  vigilant.  Calwood  will  inform  you  in 
regard  to  the  particulars." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  inform  you  that  Mr.  Blowitt 
was  severely,  if  not  dangerously  wounded  in  the 


AN     UNDESIRED    PROMOTION  357 

action  with  the  battery  up  the  bay,  where  we  had 
some  sharp  work,"  added  Mr.  Walbrook. 

"  That  is  very  bad  news  to  me,"  replied  Christy, 
who  had  known  the  wounded  man  as  second 
officer  of  the  Bellevite  when  she  was  his  father's 
yacht,  and  had  served  under  him  when  she  became 
a  man-of-war,  and  as  his  first  lieutenant  in  the 
Bronx. 

The  intelligence  filled  him  with  anxiety  and 
sorrow ;  but  while  he  was  fighting  for  the  right,  as 
he  had  been  for  three  years,  he  could  not  give  way 
to  his  feelings.  Without  asking  for  the  result  of 
the  action  up  the  bay,  he  went  over  the  side  into 
the  cutter,  and  ordered  the  crew  to  pull  for  the 
ship.  Mr.  Blowitt  had  been  more  than  his  superior 
officer,  he  had  been  liis  friend,  and  the  young 
lieutenant  was  very  sad  while  he  thought  of  the 
wounded  officer. 

He  found  Captain  Breaker  on  the  quarter-deck ; 
and  he  could  see  from  his  expression  that  he  was 
greatly  affected  by  the  condition  of  his  executive 
officer.  Mr.  Dashington,  his  first  officer  in  tlie 
yacht,  had  been  killed  in  action  the  year  before, 
and  now  another  of  his  intimate  associates  migflit 
soon  be  resristered  in  the  Valhalla  of  the  nation's 


358  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

dead  who  had  perished  while  fighting  for  the 
right. 

"  We  have  sad  news  for  you,  Mr.  Passford," 
said  the  commander,  who  seemed  to  be  struggling 
with  his  emotions. 

"  But  I  hope  there  is  a  chance  for  Mr.  Blowitt's 
recovery,  Captain  Breaker,"  added  Christy. 

"  I  am  afraid  there  is  not.  Dr.  Linscott  has 
very  little  hope  that  he  will  live.  But  we  have 
no  time  to  mourn  even  for  our  best  friends.  You 
have  captured  a  steamer  and  brought  her  out ;  but 
I  saw  that  you  were  coming  up  from  the  south- 
ward when  I  first  discovered  the  steamer.  What 
does  that  mean,  Mr.  Passford  ?  " 

"  I  hardly  know.  Captain,  whether  I  brought  her 
out,  or  she  brought  me  out,"  replied  Christy,  who 
felt  very  tender  over  the  Southern  Yankee  trick 
which  had  been  played  upon  him.  "  The  steamer 
is  the  Reindeer,  Captain  Stopfoot.  My  boat's 
crew  were  overpowered  by  her  ship's  company, 
and  we  were  all  made  prisoners  ;  but  we  rebelled 
against  the  humiliating  circumstances,  and  recap- 
tured the  steamer." 

"  Then  you  have  redeemed  yourself,"  added 
the  captain. 


AN    UNDESIRED    PROMOTION  359 

Christy  gave  a  detailed  report  of  all  the  events 
that  had  occurred  during  his  absence  from  the 
ship.  The  commander  listened  to  him  with  the 
deepest  interest ;  for  the  young  officer  was  in  some 
sense  his  protege,  and  had  sometimes  been  his 
instructor  in  navigation  and  seamanship.  In  spite 
of  the  sadness  of  the  hour,  there  was  a  smile  on 
his  face  when  he  comprehended  the  scheme  of  the 
captain  of  the  Reindeer  to  get  his  vessel  out  of 
the  bay  in  the  face  of  two  men-of-war. 

While  Christy  was  still  on  the  quarter-deck, 
Mr.  Lobscott  came  on  board,  and  reported  the  cap- 
ture of  the  schooner  Sylphide,  full  of  cotton. 
Her  ship's  company,  consisting  of  six  men,  were 
on  board  of  the  Bronx.  Captain  Breaker  planked 
the  deck  for  some  time,  evidently  making  up  his 
mind  what  to  do  with  the  prizes  and  with  their 
crews,  for  he  did  not  regard  these  men  as  prisoners 
of  war.  He  asked  the  second  lieutenant  some 
questions  in  regard  to  the  character  of  the  Rein- 
deer. She  was  an  old-fashioned  craft,  but  a  good 
vessel. 

"We  are  rather  overburdened  with  prisoners, 
and  I  desire  only  to  get  rid  of  them,"  said  the 
captain. 


360  FIGHTING    FOR   THE   RIGHT 

"  Captain  Stopfoot  was  considerate  enough  to 
announce  his  intention  to  put  me  and  my  men  on 
shore  at  Gasparilla  Pass ;  and  I  promised  to 
reciprocate  the  favor  by  suggesting  that  he  and 
his  ship's  company  be  landed  at  the  same  place." 

"  That  will  be  a  good  way  to  get  rid  of  them, 
and  I  will  adopt  the  suggestion,"  replied  the 
commander. 

All  the  rest  of  the  day  and  a  part  of  the  night 
were  used  up  in  making  the  preparations  for  dis- 
posing of  the  prizes.  A  large  number  of  hands 
were  sent  on  board  of  the  Reindeer,  and  her 
cotton  was  nearly  all  placed  in  tlie  hold  by  good 
stowage.  The  prisoners  from  both  prizes,  except 
the  engineers  and  firemen,  who  were  willing  to 
work  for  wages,  were  transferred  to  the  Bronx. 
Mr.  Lobscott  was  appointed  prize-master  of  the 
steamer,  which  was  to  tow  the  schooner  to  Key 
West,  where  both  were  to  be  disposed  of  as 
circumstances   might   require. 

The  Bronx  was  to  convoy  the  two  vessels  as  far 
as  the  Pass,  where  she  was  to  land  her  prisoners, 
and  then  return  to  her  consort.  At  midnight  this 
fleet  sailed.  A  protest  against  being  landed  at 
the  place  indicated  came  from  Captain  Stopfoot 


AN    UNDESIRED    PROMOTION  361 

before  it  departed;  but  the  commander  paid  no 
attention  to  it,  declaring  tliat  if  the  Pass  was 
good  enough  for  one  of  his  officers,  it  was  good 
enough  for  the  captain  of  a  blockade-runner. 

"Mr.  Passford,  by  the  lamentable  accident  to 
Mr.  Blowitt,  you  become  the  ranking  lieutenant 
in  condition  for  service,"  said  Captain  Breaker, 
soon  after  the  young  officer  had  reported  the 
capture  of  the  Reindeer.  "  You  therefore  become 
the  acting  executive  officer  of  the  Bellevite." 

"  Of  course  I  shall  do  my  duty  faithfully, 
Captain  Breaker,  in  whatever  position  is  assigned 
to  me,"  replied  Christy,  his  bosom  swelling  with 
emotion.  "  I  regret  more  than  anything  else  the 
occasion  that  makes  it  necessary  to  put  me  in  this 
place ;  and  I  a.ra  very  sorry  to  be  called  upon  to 
occupy  a  position  of  so  much  responsibility." 

"  You  are  competent  to  discharge  the  duties  of 
executive  officer,  Mr.  Passford,  though  I  appreci- 
ate your  modesty  in  not  desiring  such  an  impor- 
tant position ;  but  there  is  no  alternative  at 
present."  •* 

It  was  therefore  under  Christy's  direction  that 
all  the  arrangements  for  sending  off  the  prizes 
were   made.     The    Bronx   returned   at   noon    the 


362  FIGHTING    FOR   THE    RIGHT 

next  day,  and  both  vessels  sailed  to  the  station  of 
the  flag-officer.  The  commander  reported  that  he 
had  silenced  two  batteries,  captured  a  steamer 
and  a  schooner,  sending  them  to  Key  West ;  but 
the  shoal  water  in  the  vicinity  of  Tampa  had 
prevented  him  from  capturing  the  town. 

Christy,  in  becoming  first  lieutenant,  was 
relieved  from  duty  as  a  watch  officer ;  but  his 
duties  and  responsibilities  had  been  vastly 
increased.  He  was  the  second  in  command,  and 
a  shot  from  another  vessel  or  a  battery  on  shore 
might  make  him  the  commander,  and  he  certainly 
did  not  aspire  to  such  a  charge  and  such  an  honor. 
There  was  something  in  the  situation  that  worried 
him  greatly.  Captain  Breaker  had  not  been  to 
the  North  since  he  entered  upon  his  duties,  now 
very  nearly  three  years,  and  the  state  of  his  health 
had  given  Dr.  Linscott  considerable  uneasiness. 

Mr.  Blowitt  was  sent  home  by  a  store-ship  ;  but 
he  died  soon  after  his  arrival ;  and  his  loving 
companions-in-arms  could  not  follow  his  remains 
to  an  honored  grave. 

The  flag-officer,  either  because  he  believed  that 
Christy  was  a  faithful  and  competent  officer,  in 
spite  of  his  age,  though  in  this   respect  he  had 


AN    DNDESIRED    PllOMOTION  363 

added  a  year  to  his  span,  or  that  no  other  officer 
was  available  for  the  vacant  position,  made  no 
other  appointment,  and  Christy  was  compelled  to 
retain  the  place,  very  much  against  his  desire. 
As  he  thought  of  it  he  was  absolutely  astonished 
to  find  himself,  even  temporarily,  in  so  exalted  a 
position. 

Here  we  are  obliged  to  leave  him  for  the  present, 
crowned  with  honors  far  beyond  his  most  sanguine 
expectations,  but  always  willing  to  do  his  duty 
while  fighting  for  the  right.  The  future  was  still 
before  him ;  he  had  not  yet  done  all  there  was  for 
him  to  do  ;  and  in  the  early  years  of  his  manhood 
came  his  reward,  in  common  with  the  loyal  sons  of 
the  nation,  in  A  Victorious  Union. 


WHAT  SHOULD  OUR  BOYS  READ 


With  tlie  multiplicity  of  books,  it  becomes  quite  a  serious 
quest ioii  with  parents  w  hat  the  boys  should  lead.  "  Bettei'  lead 
anyUiing  tliau  not  to  read  anything,"  said  a  wise  and  witty 
divine.  1  am  of  that  opinion;  but  the  best  v.ay  is  to  read  the 
best,  and  that  we  may  deteiniine  which  is  the  i)est,  we  must 
consider  the  age  of  the  reader  and  the  purpose  h.e  has  in  view. 
Boys  from  ten  to  fifteen  years  old  will  look  for  recreation;  tlieir 
pur['Ose  will  be  interest  and  amusement.  Natural'y,  they  love 
adventure,  daring  deeds,  the  wild  and  romantic  side  of  life. 
They  can  enjoy  this,  as  they  have  not  the  experience  to  show 
the  power  of  routine  and  the  comni.onplace.  They  live  in  a 
fairy  world,  and  believe  in  the  heroic  and  romantic  as  naturally 
as  birds  sense  their  power  of  flight. 

And  what  noble  writers  we  have  for  the  boys;  how  interest- 
ing and  instructive  the  tale  they  tell;  and  coinnumion  .with 
them  gives  hope  and  expectation  and  desire  to  do  something 
and  be  something  in  the  world.  They  are  quickeners  of  the 
hoj'eful  and  the  striving  spirit.  Two  writers  '.hat  I  admire 
very  much  for  all  this,  are  the  honored  names  cf  Trowliridge 
and  Adams.  "  His  One  Fault  "  tells  the  fault  of  many  of  our 
boys.  They  will  procrastinate;  but,  after  reading  this,  they  see 
it  is  a  sin,  and  sure  to  get  them  into  trouble.  1  have  just  been 
reading  Oliver  Optic"s  "  The  Blue  and  the  Gray  "  stories,  and 
I  don't  blame  the  bovs  that  are  bewitched  with  them.  Tiiey 
teach  BATHIOTISM'.  CULTUEE,  BKAVEK^,  and  SELF- 
PvEI.IAXCE.  and  INTEREST  FBOM  THE  BEGINNING 
TO  THE  END.  The  yoimg  hero  has  a  rotmd  of  adventures, 
enough  to  warm  the  coldest  heart.  He  meets  emergencies  with 
inexhau.stible  resources.  He  baflBes  and  outwits  his  enemies 
with  real  Yankee  wit  every  time.  He  goes  through  dangers  as 
easily  as  a  vessel  ploughs  her  way  through  the  deei);  and  a  boy 
would  admire  this  as  the  right  thing.  He  believes  the  brave 
should  so  succeed,  and  the  good  be  so  rewarded.  It  is  a  little 
better  worlil  than  we  daily  find,  but  not  any  better  than  we  are 
daily  seeking.  We  must  kindle  the  ardor  of  youth  by  such 
hopes  and  aspirations  of  greatness.  Mr.  Adams  wrote  to  take 
the  boys  away  from  the  trash  that  is  secretly  circulated  and  read, 
and  by  his  books  of  travel,  of  soldier-life,  and  seamanship,  he 
lias  done  much  for  the  benefit  of  the  heroes  of  the  future. 
That  is  the  way  I  look  at  it,  and  I  should  recommend  parents 
to  let  their  boys  delight  themselves  in  his  book*,  as  a  recrea- 
tion after  school-hours,  base-ball,  and  whatever  el-^e  occupies 
their  mind  and  attention.  It  is  a  play  of  imagination  that  is 
good  and  wholesome.  —  Rev.  William  Bkuntcx,  in  Port- 
laml  (Me.)  2'ranficnpt. 

LEE  AND  SHEPARD   PUBLISHERS  BOSTON 


OLIVER    OPTICS  BOOKS. 


THE  BLUE  AND  THE  GRAY 

Illustrated.     With  Kinbleniatic  I>ie8.     ISach  volume  bound  in 
Blue  and  Gray.    Per  volume,  $1.50. 


NAVY    SERIES 


TAKFN  BY  THE  ENEMY  ON  THE  BLOCKADE 

WITHIN  THE  ENEMY'S  LINES       STAND  BY  THE  UNION 
A  VICTORIOUS  UNION  FIGHTING  FOR  THE  RIGHT 


ARMY    SERIES 

BROTHER  AGAINST  BROTHER 

IN  THE  SADDLE 

A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

Other  volumes  in  preparation 


The  opening  of  a  new  series  of  books  from  the  pen  of  Oliver  Optic 
is  bound  to  arouse  the  highest  anticipation  in  tlie  minds  of  boy  and  girl 
readers.  There  never  lias  been  a  more  interesting  writer  in  the  field  of 
juvenile  literature  than  Mr.  W.  T.  Adams,  who  under  his  well-known 
pseuilonym,  is  known  and  admired  by  every  boy  and  girl  in  the  country, 
and  by  thousands  who  have  long  since  passed  the  boundaries  of  youth, 
yet  who  remember  witli  pleasure  the  genial,  interesting  pen  that  did  so 
much  to  interest,  instruct  and  entertain  their  younger  years.  The  pres- 
ent volume  opens  "  The  Blue  and  the  Gray  Series,"  a  title  that  is  suflB- 
ciently  indicative  of  the  nature  and  spirit  of  the  series,  of  which  the  first 
volume  is  now  presented,  while  the  name  of  Oliver  Optic  is  sufticient 
warrant  of  the  absorbing  style  of  narrative.  "  Taken  by  ihe  Enemy," 
the  first  book  of  the  series,  is  as  bright  and  entertaining  as  any  work  that 
Mr.  Adams  has  yet  put  forth,  and  will  be  as  eagerly  perused  as  any  that 
has  borne  his  name.  It  would  not  be  fair  to  the  prospective  reader  to 
deprive  him  of  the  zest  which  comes  from  the  unexpected,  by  entering 
into  a  synopsis  of  the  story.  A  word,  however,  should  be  said  in  regard 
to  the  beauty  and  appropriateness  of  the  binding,  which  makes  it  a  most 
attractive  volume.—  ISoston  Budget. 

"  Taken  by  the  Enemy"  has  just  come  from  the  press,  an  announce- 
ment that  cannot  but  appeal  to  every  healthy  boy  from  ten  to  fifteen 
years  of  age  in  the  country.  "  No  writer  of  the  present  day,"  says  the 
Boston  Commonweal f h ,  "  whose  aim  has  been  to  liit  the  boyish  heart,  has 
been  as  successful  as  Oliver  Optic.  There  is  a  period  in  the  life  of  every 
youth,  jnst  about  the  time  that  he  is  collecting  postage-stamps,  and 
before  his  legs  are  long  enough  for  a  bicycle,  Avhen  he  has  the  Oliver 
Optic  fever.  He  catches  it  by  reading  a  few  stray  pages  somewhere,  and 
then  there  is  nothing  for  it  but  to  let  the  matter  take  Its  course.  Relief 
comes  only  when  the  last  page  of  the  last  book  is  read  ;  and  then  there 
are  relapses  whenever  a  new  book  api)ears  until  one  is  safely  on  through 
the  teens."  — Literary  Netvs. 


OLIVER   OPTICS  BOOKS 


flLL-OVER-THE-WORLD  LIBRARY 

niustrated    Per  Volume  «1.35 


FIRST  SERIES 

A  MISSING  MILLION  or  The  Adventures  of  Louis  Beigrave 

A  MILLIONAIRE  AT  SIXTEEN  or  The  Cruise  of  the  Guardian  Mother 
A  YOUNG  KNIGHT  ERRANT  or  Cruising  in  the  West  indies 
STRANGE  SIGHTS  ABROAD  or  A  Voyage  in  European  Waters 


SECOND    SERIES 

THE  AMERICAN  BOYS  AFLOAT  or  Cruising  in  the  Orient 
THE  YOUNG  NAVIGATORS  or  The  Foreign  Cruise  of  the  Maud 
UP  AND  DOWN  THE  NILE  or  Young  Adventurers  in  Africa 
ASIATIC  BREEZES  or  Students  on  the  Wing  (in  press) 


"  The  bare  announcement  of  a  new  series  of  books  by  Oliver  Optic  will 
delight  boys  all  over  the  country.  When  they  farther  learn  that  their 
favorite  author  proposes  to  '  personally  conduct '  his  army  of  readers  on 
a  grand  tour  of  the  world,  there  will  be  a  terrible  scramble  for  excursion 
tickets  —  that  is,  the  opening  volume  of  the  '  Globe  Trotting  Series.'  Of 
one  thing  the  boys  may  be  dead  sure,  it  will  be  no  tame,  humdrum  jour- 
ney, for  Oliver  Optic  does  not  believe  that  fun  and  excitement  are 
injurious  to  boys,  but,  on  the  contrary,  if  of  the  right  kind  he  thinks  it 
does  them  good.  Louis  Beigrave  is  a  fortunate  lad,  because,  at  the  age 
of  sixteen,  he  was  the  possessor  of  a  cool  million  of  dollars.  No  one,  not 
even  a  young  boy,  can  travel  without  money,  as  our  author  well  knows, 
therefore  he  at  once  provided  a  liberal  supply.  Louis  is  a  fine  yoiuig 
fellow  with  good  principles  and  honor,  so  he  can  he  trusted  to  spend  his 
million  wisely.  But  he  does  not  have  entirely  smooth  sailing.  In  the 
first  place  he  has  a  rascally  step-father  whom  he  had  to  subjugate,  a  dear 
mother  to  protect  and  care  for,  and  the  missing  million  to  find  before  he 
could  commence  his  delightful  travels.  They  are  all  accomplisheil  at 
last,  and  there  was  plenty  of  excitement  and  brave  exploits  in  the  doing 
of  them,  as  the  boy  readers  will  find.  The  cover  design  shows  many 
things — a  globe,  the  Eiffel  tower,  mountains,  seas,  rivers,  castles  and 
Other  things  Louis  will  see  on  his  travels. —  Current  Review. 


LEE  AND  SHEPARD  Publishers  Boston 


OLIVER   OPTICS  BOOKS. 


ARMY  AND  NAYY  STORIES. 

Six  Tolmnes.    Illustrated.    Per  vol.,  $1.50. 


1.  THE  SOLDSER  BOY;. 

Or,  Tom  Somers  in  the  Army. 

2.  THE  SAILOR  BOY; 

Or,  Jack  Somers  in  the  Navy. 

3.  THE  YOUNG   LIEUTENANT; 

Or,  Adventures  of  an  Army  Officer. 

4.  THE  YANKEE  MIDDY; 

Or,  Adventures  of  a  Navv  Offlcer. 

5.  FIGHTING  JOE; 

Or,  The  Fortunes  of  a  Staff  Offit^er. 

6.  BRAVE  OLD  SALT; 

Or,  Life  on  the  Qnarter-Deck. 


Tills  series  of  six  volumes  recounts  the  adventures  of  two 
brothers,  Tom  and  Jack  Somers,  one  in  the  army,  the  other  iri 
the  navy,  in  the  great  civil  war.  The  romantic  narratives  of 
tlie  fortunes  and  exploits  of  the  brothers  are  thrilling  in  the 
extreme.  Historical  accuracy  in  the  recital  of  the  great 
events  of  that  period  is  strictly  followed,  and  the  result  is 
not  only  a  librar}-  of  entertaining  volumes,  but  also  the  besi 
history  of  the  civil  war  for  young  people  ever  written. 


<.^^ 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 


Wilmer 
10 


